After retirement, a new career

>>> tonight as part of our road to retire mentd series, we're going to check in with some women who have done the right thing, the only thing in the economy after discovering they can't really retire. they were left with only one option, reinvention. our report from ron mot.

>> step up, germs.

>> setting up out a new career path, ann marine discovered her cream job.

>> it's my pleasure to show you a bit of my city.

>> as a tour guide in charleston, south carolina .

>> you want to do something you love. some people are fortunate to find it.

>> to me, it's more fun than it is work.

>> now 53, she's among a significant number of americans venturing away from the security of training and experience, even as they approach retirement age .

>> i'm going to do it as long as i can do it.

>> in three years, nearly 28% of adults in their 40s switched careers. almost a quarter in their 50s, 17% over 60. according to the aarp, those who make career changes often trade jobs for lower paying ones and they're much happier as a result.

>> in the long run, it's actually really smart because a lauz of people unfortunately haven't prepared enough for retirement and saved enough so the longer you can work and draw an income, the better off you'll be.

>> but she cautions people to avoid tapping into retirement savings to finance a career change . a 46-year-old mother of two, cay morrison in new orleans, the decision to leave a lucrative corporate career happen eed while packing for a career trip.

>> i was like, what are you doing? this is insane. you never see your kids. i decided that very moment, it was done. i was done.

>> did you find the storage unit.

>> six years ago, she opened the occasional wife. a home, life, work organizing service since expanded to five locations in louisiana and texas.

>> it's all going really good.

>> there's charlton harbor.

>> spirit downsized, taking the reins toward retirement with no real plans to stop there anytime soon. ron mott, nbc news, new orleans.

>>> bet that's a good tour. there's a lot more on this for everybody from our friends and experts at aarp. it's on our website tonight,