Late life transitions and social networks: The case of retirement

•Use new SHARE social networks data from 16 countries.•Examine impacts of retirement on social network outcomes.•Across-country pension eligibility age rules used as an instrument for retirement.•Find no measurable impact of retirement on social networks.

I use SHARE social networks data from 16 countries to examine retirement impacts on social networks. I extend the literature by using across-country differences in pension eligibility ages as instruments to show limited impacts of retirement on social network outcomes.