With the third wave of the Transitions and Old Age Potential (TOP) study, the longitudinal study of initially 5,002 individuals was completed in 2019. Initial findings were published in 2020 through a brochure, policy brief, and methodological report, and presented publicly. The third wave produced two datasets: a panel of 1,561 individuals surveyed across all three waves (2013, 2015/16, 2019) and a couple datasets with 576 complete interviews. Additional data sources such as DEAS, FWS, and SHARE complement the analyses. In 2021, efforts centered on preparing scientific articles for peer-reviewed journals and archiving the third wave at GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, concluding the study that ran from 2011 to 2021.

For further information, see: https://search.gesis.org/research\_data/ZA6597 and https://doi.org/10.4232/1.13845

Content and Objectives In 2019, the third wave of the study Transitions and Old Age Potential (TOP) was completed. In addition to the repeated interviews of some of those who had already participated in the study in previous waves, partners were also interviewed. The aim of this supplementary survey was to gain insights into retirement transition in a couple of contexts, focusing on the phenomenon of joint retirement. The initial results were published in June 2020 in the form of a brochure and a policy brief and presented at a press conference. Another publication was the methodological report on the third wave in German and English. In 2021, the focus was on the final editing and submission of the scientific articles from TOP in peer-reviewed journals. The archiving of the third wave of TOP as a scientific use file at GESIS was planned for October 2021. This step concluded the TOP study.

Data and Methods

Within the framework of the third wave of the TOP study, 1,561 persons could be interviewed for the second time. Regarding the partners of these persons, a gross sample of 832 persons resulted, after completion of the last address and panel maintenance of the year 2017/2018. After completion of the field phase of the third wave, 576 complete interviews were available at the couple level. The TOP study thus comprised of two data sets after the completion of the third wave:

the panel data set comprised the persons who had participated in the study on all three survey dates (2013, 2015/2016 and 2019) (1,561 persons) as well as the couple sample with the information provided by the anchors (with current partner from the third survey wave) and the partners from 2019 (576 couple interviews).

In addition to the data from TOP, other studies are also used for the scientific articles, such as the German Ageing Survey (DEAS), the German Volunteer Survey (FWS) and the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

Duration 01/2011-12/2021

Selected Publications see https://search.gesis.org/research\_data/ZA6597

Inclusion Criteria:

• aged 55-70
• telephone
• german language

Exclusion Criteria:

• illiterate
• no consent

The survey is based on a representative sample of 5,002 individuals from the German-speaking residential population, aged between 55 and 70 years (birth cohorts 1942 to 1958). The study focuses on the life plans and potentials of older adults in the labor market, civil society, and family, as well as their transitions into retirement. In spring 2013, a 40-minute telephone interview was conducted using a standardized survey instrument. It included measures in the following areas: sociodemographics, employment and retirement transitions, informal work in civil society and family, perceptions of aging, health and well-being, and personality. In 2015/2016, participants from the first wave who were willing to be re-interviewed were surveyed again. In total, 2,501 interviews were completed at T2

this was not foreseen and consented by data security plan