You may be planning to retire at 65. Your employer may have a different date in mind.
We are taught to build retirement around one major assumption: keep working until we are financially ready to stop.
But what happens when the system does not let you?
A restructuring happens. Your projects disappear. The raises stop. Your decades of experience suddenly become a “performance issue.” You are told the company needs someone more nimble, more digital, more affordable or, let’s be honest, younger.
In this episode of Queer Money, we are talking about the very real possibility of being pushed out of work before you are ready to retire.
Nearly one in four workers over 50 reportedly feels like they are being pushed out because of their age. Other research has found that more than half of older workers leave longtime jobs involuntarily.
And losing your job at 52, 56 or 61 is nothing like losing it at 28.
For LGBTQ+ people, the consequences can be especially difficult. Many of us do not have family support to fall back on. We may have moved to expensive cities to feel safe, spent more on education to build our careers or felt pressure to maintain a lifestyle that looked more secure than it actually was.
So when someone tells you to “just work longer,” you need to ask: Will they let you?
In this episode, we share personal stories of unexpected layoffs, explain how corporate ageism is often disguised and lay out practical ways to start taking back control of your retirement timeline.
You’ll learn:
- The subtle signs that you may be getting managed out
- Why experience can look expensive to corporate America
- How to calculate how long your money would last without a paycheck
- Ways to build an income bridge before retirement
- How to turn decades of experience into consulting or fractional work
- Why keeping your skills and professional network current matters
- What to document when you suspect age discrimination
- Why you should never panic-quit or rush to sign a severance agreement
Your employer may control your paycheck, but they should not control your entire future.
The first step in age-proofing your retirement is knowing where you actually stand. Schedule a Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review to understand your numbers, identify your options and start building a retirement plan that does not depend entirely on your employer loving you tomorrow.
Retire by design, not by default, layoff or ageism.
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Calculators, planners and services
Queer Money Beginner’s Guide
Queer Money Retirement Calculator
Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner & Calculator
Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review
Mentioned in this episode:
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What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States?
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