SPY -0.72%
BND -0.51%
QQQ -2.33%
DIA -0.25%
VNQ -0.57%
GLD -2.66%
BTC -7.76%
AAPL +0.01%
GOOGL +0.20%
NVDA -7.30%
MSFT +0.26%
META +1.31%
AMZN -0.67%
TSLA -0.94%
UBER -2.11%
GS -1.49%
BAC +0.39%
JPM +0.42%
BRK.A +0.56%
COST +1.64%
XOM +2.44%
BABA -7.57%
WMT +1.97%
SPCX -2.50%
DIS -1.04%
F -2.86%
  • Discounts and special offers
  • Subscriber-only articles and interviews
  • Breaking news and trending topics

Already a subscriber?

By signing up, you accept Moneywise's Terms of Use, Subscription Agreement, and Privacy Policy.

Not interested ?

Retirement
A Caucasian family outdoors under the trees on a lake shore Photo: Mint_Images/Envato

We are older parents in our late 50s with a 15-year-old son. We’ve saved enough for his college costs and even our retirement — is it weird to retire in America with kids still in school?

Many Americans are having kids later these days, which means it's becoming increasingly more common for parents to hit retirement age when their kids are still in high school or college.

If you’re in your late-50s and eyeing an early retirement you may want to consider whether you've saved enough to still cover college costs for your kids — however, it might be a little difficult (read: costly) to leave the workforce with a teen still living at home.

Advertisement

In fact, research from GoBanking Rates found that a nest egg of $1 million would only last roughly 15 years in some of the more expensive states, like Hawaii and New York — and this doesn’t account for putting a kid through college.

Retire on your terms — we'll show you how.

By signing up, you accept Moneywise Terms of Use, Subscription Agreement, and Privacy Policy.

So, it’s safe to say there are a few things to think about first before biting the bullet and announcing your retirement date.

What to consider before retiring early

One of the first things to think about is whether the peers in your social group are going to be retiring along with you — or whether you'll be one of the first.

The median age of retirement is 62 in the United States, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) — with seven in 10 Americans stating they left the workforce before reaching age 65.

Therefore, if you're in your late-50s, some of your friends may be getting close to retirement, but many probably plan to work into their 60s. If your social circle is on the younger side because you've become friends with other parents, most of your friends may be years away from leaving.

Now, there's nothing wrong with being the first to retire. However, you could find yourself bored and lacking opportunities to foster social connections.

According to a study from the National Library of Medicine, retirees are more likely to experience depression compared to older Americans still in the workforce.

Social isolation can both decrease quality of life and impact one’s overall health. Many people build their social lives around work or family activities, but once they enter the retirement years, they're left without the social circles they've come to depend on.

Advertisement

This may lead to dissatisfaction unless you're prepared to branch out and make new retiree friends — and you may not have much in common with them, as only around 6% of Americans age 65 or older live in a household with school-age children, according to KFF.

Another consideration is what you’ll do in your retirement years, aside from raising your kids.

Perhaps you'll relish the freedom to attend your kids’ sporting events and other extracurriculars — but many teens don't necessarily want a high level of parent involvement outside of their school lives, so that may not be an option in your situation.

In addition, if you still have school-age kids, traditional retiree activities — like travel or long-delayed home renovations — may not be in the cards for the first few years.

So, you'll need to really think about how you're going to fill the days and years — especially when you're extending retirement by leaving work early.

Advertisement

Must Read

Will your finances be stable for the long haul?

When you're evaluating whether your money will last if you opt for an early retirement, it's important to realize there are many additional costs that need to be factored into the decision, in addition to those college fees for your kid.

First and foremost, you aren't going to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits for a few more years — and if you want to max out your benefits, you'd have to wait even longer until you hit age 70. So, you'd be completely reliant on your investments and other personal savings to support you until that time.

You're also still going to have a few years until you become eligible for Medicare at age 65, so you’d have to shop around for private health insurance — which doesn’t come cheap.

If you don’t have an emergency fund already, consider setting aside some money in your annual budget to account for an unexpected expenses, such as a medical emergency or a leaky roof. This will help you avoid having to dip into any savings or investments in your golden years.

Finally, you may want to sit down with a financial adviser to help you map out whether or not an early retirement could work for you and your lifestyle — while also taking into account your kids’ college tuition.

You May Also Like

Share this:
Christy Bieber Contributing Writer

Christy Bieber is a US based personal finance and legal writer who has 15 years of experience. She has written for many publications including Forbes, Kilplinger, CNN, WSJ, Credit Karma, Insurify and more.

more from Christy Bieber

Explore the latest

Disclaimer

The content provided on Moneywise is information to help users become financially literate. It is neither investment, tax nor legal advice, is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities, enter into any loan, mortgage or insurance agreements or to adopt any investment strategy. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. We make no representation or warranty of any kind, either express or implied, with respect to the data provided, the timeliness thereof, the results to be obtained by the use thereof or any other matter. Advertisers are not responsible for the content of this site, including any editorials or reviews that may appear on this site. For complete and current information on any advertiser product, please visit their website.

†Terms and Conditions apply.