Retiring without kids, ever gave it some thought?

[slowandsteady]

I know this isn't the most happy topic. But seeing how many of JUBbers do not have kids I wonder what will your retirement plan be. Move to retirement condos, or stay in your house? Who's going to call/visit you ever week?


I live next to some elderly, they just cannot do everything an adult does. When the snow comes down in inches, the elderly houses never get their driveway shovel. They just stay in until the snow melts. My parents clear their driveway for free, at least the part that touches the main road. The retirement condo across the road doesn't seem that cheerful when ~5 ambulances comes in once a week.

 

[Alpha1851]

Yeah, we've contempleted it slowandsteady. But, if you think about it, kids really cost A LOT of money. And nowadays, little Jr. aint in a hurry to move out. I know plenty of elderly folks who have kids. Kids that shoved them in a nursing home and never visit. Kids that are only interested in the estate and the money they can gain from it. So, in my opinion, we just might be better off.

We save money by not having children. I put that money away into our retirement account. Hopefully, we'll be able to afford assisted living and can hire additional help as necessary.

 

[Huskerboy]

We, too, have given this a lot of consideration and have come up with two options. 1.) Move into a smaller home when we retire and then buy a motorhome and travel. 2.) Stay in our current home and tend to the garden, travel, and do our own thing.

Like Alpha, we're planning on home healthcare if/when the time comes. The big problem is what do we do with the pool? Fill it in? Fill it with fish and go fishing? Hire some young stud to keep it clean for us? ... Guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there!

We thought about kids at one time, but those little bank-account-draining-poop-machines just aren't in the picture. We might regret that some day, but I'm sure someone will take care of us!

 

[sixthson]

Alpha is right and wrong. Children do cost a lot, but the cost to us in money does not begin to compare to what they give us. The unconditional love of a child is priceless. Watching them grow up into caring, unselfish young people is a beautiful thing to watch.

No parent should view their children as their companions in old age or even as their caretakers. While it is a wonderful thing when children care for their parents in old age, parents should provide for that time of life as they have for any other time, by being self sufficient and as independent as possible.

I think a goodly number of children look after their elderly parents and see it as a role reversal, of sorts, especially if the parent becomes the child, so to speak, due to failing health. I suspect there are more caring adult children of elderly parents than we know. Unfortunately, we only hear the horror stories and about parents being dumped in care facilities.

 

[Alpha1851]

Alpha is right and wrong. Children do cost a lot, but the cost to us in money does not begin to compare to what they give us. The unconditional love of a child is priceless.

We have a dog. Sadie definitely fulfills that role.

I didn't mean to slight kids or the joy of being parents. It's just something that we aren't interested in. Still, Sadie would be grumpy if I didn't mention how special she is.

I can relate to your point about taking care of elderly family members and you're right, the good stories are out there yet, they rarely make an appearance.

 

[kevbo]

God, I hope I don't have to retire without children. I visit my grandma on a regular basis, and she says the other tenants in her apartment building (it's not a nursing home, but it is meant for the elderly) get jealous of her because they don't have many visitors.

 

[alley]

Hell--retire???? There's nothing left in my 401k...

 

[alley]

None of the men in my family live beyond their early 50s (regardless of lifestyle); I do not expect to be the exception so, hopefully, retirement plans will be unnecessary within a few short years.

Quite frankly I don't think I want to live to be old anyway. My Dad died when He was fifty and his Mother is still alive--she can no longer take care of any of her personal needs and suffers from dementia. She is 98 now. At least when my Dad died he knew who I was.