For most of my life, retirement felt like a finish line.
You worked hard, stayed loyal, saved what you could, and then sometime in your mid-60s you stepped away and enjoyed the life you earned. That was the plan many of us grew up with.
Lately, though, I’ve found myself asking a different question:
Can I actually afford to retire?
And if I’m honest, the answer is not as clear as I once thought it would be.
Why Retirement Feels Less Certain Now
Like many Baby Boomers, I’ve lived through more than a few economic shifts. Recessions, market downturns, job uncertainty, and rising costs have all reshaped what retirement looks like.
People are also living longer. That’s a blessing, but it comes with a price tag. Retirement is not a short chapter anymore. For many of us, it could last 25 or even 30 years.
Add in rising healthcare costs, inflation, and family responsibilities that don’t magically disappear, and retirement starts to feel less like an ending and more like a long-term financial strategy.
The Role Social Security Plays for Me
For most Baby Boomers, Social Security is part of the retirement equation. It certainly is for me.
But I’ve come to understand that Social Security was never meant to fully replace a working income. Benefits from the Social Security Administration are designed to supplement retirement savings, not carry the entire load.
Deciding when to claim, early, on time, or delayed, can have long-term consequences. And not everyone has the flexibility to wait for the maximum benefit. That reality alone makes retirement planning feel more complicated than it once did.
Savings, Reality, and Real Life
Some Baby Boomers were able to save consistently. Others had their plans interrupted by layoffs, caregiving responsibilities, divorce, health issues, or simply the cost of living.
I have learned that retirement readiness is not about how disciplined you were, it’s about what life allowed.
That’s why comparisons don’t help. Every Boomer’s financial picture is different, and pretending otherwise only adds stress.
Healthcare: The Question That Won’t Go Away
One of my biggest concerns about retirement is healthcare.
Even with Medicare, there are premiums, supplemental coverage, prescriptions, dental care, vision, and the unknowns of long-term care. Those costs don’t pause just because you stop working.
For me, that uncertainty has been a major reason to slow down the idea of fully retiring rather than rushing toward it.
Why I’m Rethinking What Retirement Means
I believe that retirement don’t have to mean stopping work entirely.
Hybrid work has changed the equation. The ability to work part-time, consult, or stay engaged without the demands of a traditional full-time office role creates options that didn’t exist before.
For me, continuing to earn some income is not about clinging to work it is about protecting my future, preserving flexibility, and easing the pressure on my savings.
The Hybrid Boomer Reality
As a Hybrid Boomer, the question I ask myself is not just “Can I afford to retire?”
It’s also “Can I afford to stop earning altogether?”
Hybrid and flexible work allow me to stay productive without sacrificing my health or quality of life. That middle ground between full-time work and full retirement feels like a practical, realistic path.
What I Know Now
Retirement today is not one-size-fits-all.
Some Baby Boomers can afford to retire comfortably.
Others need to keep working in some capacity.
And many of us are choosing a blend of both.
For me, retirement is no longer about an age or a date on the calendar. It’s about financial resilience, health, and peace of mind.
And that realization has changed everything.
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