Washington, Aug 14 - Older workers who get cash out of the blue are more likely to choose early retirement, according to new research.

Jeffrey R. Brown and Scott Weisbenner from the University of Illinois (U-I) say the study shows that unexpected inheritances hasten retirement, lending new credence to a widely held economic theory that people value leisure time.

'This study shows that at least some people approaching retirement work just for the money, not for love of the job,' Brown said. 'When unexpected wealth comes their way, a significant number respond by retiring early, not by continuing to work and buying a nice car or taking a vacation.'

The study found that nearly a quarter of workers who received a surprise or bigger-than-expected inheritance retired early, compared with 18 percent of total workers surveyed in the ongoing Health and Retirement Survey.