Gen X has been called a lot of things—America’s forgotten middle child, the latchkey kids, the overlooked in-betweeners sandwiched between Boomers and Millennials. But these days, they’re being called something else: unprepared for retirement.
In a recent Reddit thread on r/GenX, one user asked a simple question: “Anyone else retiring soon?” The original poster, 58, said they were thinking about retiring at 59.5 and wondered if others their age were doing the same. “I don’t remember ANY of my friends’ parents retiring early,” they wrote, noting how strange it feels to even consider it.
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That question—so casual and unassuming—hit a nerve. The comment section quickly filled with honest, sometimes bleak answers. One response in particular stole the show.
“I’m 53. I have no illusions about retirement. I’ll be working till the day I die,” one Gen Xer wrote. “Have a small 401(k) but besides that I didn’t plan well for the future. At least I used myself as a bad example for my kids and have shown them what not to do.”
That single comment struck a chord with others who felt the exact same way.
One person admitted, “I didn’t think I’d live to see 50 really… so I’m not prepared to retire right now.” Another said they’re locked into their job because of health insurance—not just for themselves, but for a spouse with major medical issues. “I’ll work as long as they let me,” one wrote. “I have very good insurance.”
Even those who did everything “right” said it still might not be enough. “My wife and I have lived like misers, saved everything we could, and still won’t be able to retire,” one user wrote. “Kind of makes you wonder what this has all been for anyway.”
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Some cited chronic health conditions, family medical history, or high cost of living as the anchor dragging down their retirement dreams. Others just didn’t get the memo early enough—growing up poor, not understanding personal finance, or buying homes in expensive cities later in life. “Don’t be me, kids,” one comment simply said.
This isn’t just Reddit-style pessimism. The numbers back it up.
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A June survey from AARP found that 81% of Gen Xers plan to rely at least somewhat on Social Security in retirement, yet 77% say they’re worried it won’t be there when the time comes. Median retirement savings for Gen X households sits around $107,000, according to a 2025 report from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. That might sound like a solid number—until you remember that retirement can stretch 25 or 30 years.
It doesn’t help that Gen X was the first post-pension generation. Many entered the workforce in the ‘80s and early ‘90s—right when private companies began phasing out defined-benefit pensions but before 401(k)s were standard. They got the worst of both worlds: no guaranteed income, but also little time to take full advantage of new retirement vehicles.
They’ve also lived through the 2008 crash, a pandemic, and now inflation. “It should be an exciting period of their life,” Nationwide senior vice president Tina Ambrozy, told AARP. “But clearly, many are not feeling that.”
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Still, even in that bleak Reddit thread, a few flickers of hope shone through. One commenter said switching to a government job gave them access to good healthcare and a pension, and now they’re finally looking at a full retirement by their mid-60s. “My wallet doesn’t fear going to the doctor,” they joked.
And of course, there’s the one thing Gen Xers do have: perspective.
That original commenter—the one who said they’d be working until the day they die—found some comfort in at least serving as a warning for the next generation. “At least I used myself as a bad example for my kids,” they wrote.
Dark? Maybe. But for a generation that was handed a Walkman instead of a trust fund, sometimes that kind of honesty is the only financial planning tool you’ve got.
Still, it doesn’t have to end that way. Even if you’re behind, even if your 401(k) balance makes you wince, there’s still time to get strategic. A professional financial advisor can help map out a plan that makes the most of what you do have. And with a little consistency—yes, even a modest monthly contribution—compound growth has a funny way of turning small steps into something meaningful.
Retirement might not come early, but with the right strategy, it doesn’t have to arrive empty-handed.
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This article Gen Xer, 53, Says ‘I’ll Be Working Till The Day I Die’ & Retirement Was Never In The Cards—At Least I’ve Shown My Kids ‘What Not To Do’ With Money originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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