Why an 89-year-old who retired just 2 years ago wishes he was still working

• Richard Maas, 89, retired at 87 but wants to return to work.
• He worked in the auto industry for five decades including running an appraisal company for 20 years.
• Maas retired because the work was physically demanding, and he's found retirement boring.

Richard Maas, 89, just wants to go back to work.

Maas, who lives in Tempe, Arizona, worked in the automobile industry for over five decades, including running an appraisal company into his late 80s. He retired nearly two years ago when the work became too physically demanding, but he said his mind is still fresh — making him "hate retirement." In his ideal world, he would keep working until the grave.

"At this age without work, there isn't a hell of a lot to look forward to," Maas said, adding he worked in his retirement years out of enjoyment and not money. "I feel like whenever you quit working, you don't feel like you have any purpose. That's the way I feel right now."

Over the last few months, Business Insider heard from dozens of older Americans about their decision not to retire, even with the financial means to do so. Many mentioned working to maintain social connections or achieve lifelong goals, while others said the routine simply gives them something to do.

Running a company in your 80s

Maas began working in insurance for a company owned by General Motors in 1964 and stayed there for over 33 years. He worked as an insurance adjuster, investigating insurance claims to determine the insurer's liability.

Maas said he loved his insurance job because he helped people solve problems every day. He found it fulfilling to guide people on the next steps to protect their vehicles and wallets. He got paid a decent salary during his career and raised two children he and his wife adopted, who now live nearby.

"I helped people, the paying customer, and also helped control loss costs for the company I worked for," Maas said, adding that sense of helpfulness helped him "keep going for 50 years."

After holding various other positions under General Motors, he retired in 1998 but immediately felt empty.

"We did some traveling after retiring, and we didn't end up working a lot," Maas said, adding he was itching to return to work.

He worked briefly with a man he earlier trained, doing appraisals for recreational vehicles. But in 2002, he decided it was time to carry out his dream of being an entrepreneur, forming his own company in his mid-60s. He said he didn't need the money he got from it, and instead was doing it to continue helping people and stay active.

He started an appraisal business that handled insurance claims for various companies. He inspected RVs and trucks for damage caused by an accident to determine costs and help people avoid exorbitant payments.

"It was very satisfying work, to tell you the truth, even in my 80s," Maas said.

Begrudgingly retiring

He ran his business until nearly two years ago when he said he struggled physically to do the work. He said the strain of assessing damage on vehicles was "more than I thought I should be doing."

"Mind-wise, I haven't had a whole lot of problems," Maas said. "Physically, though, the work required getting down under vehicles, and that became too difficult to do."

The adjustment to not working after over five decades in the automobile industry was tough. Maas said he spends his days reading and watching TV, which has lowered his drive to keep working toward the next big goal. He said he hates retirement as a result.

He and his wife have been married for 70 years, and they still do everything together. He said marrying his best friend has pushed him to stay motivated while balancing work with family. He added he's stayed close to friends as he's gotten older and has encouraged his slightly younger friends not to quit working.

"I don't have regrets," Maas said. "People need to do the best they can with what they've got at all times."