Are You an Empty Nester?

I’m sure you’ve heard of Empty Nest Syndrome, the sudden empty feeling some parents get once their children grow up and leave home. But have you heard of Crowded Nest Syndrome? Crowded Nest Syndrome occurs when children move back home — for whatever reason — after they’ve moved out.

Here’s something interesting to think about: Do empty nesters enter retirement with more savings than those who have kids at home, or do they end up spending just as much money — except on themselves?

Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research published a recent study that examined retirement readiness based on two approaches. The percentage of households unprepared for retirement was far greater in approach No. 1 than in approach No. 2, and one of the key differences was the spending habits after children left home.

Approach No. 2 assumes that parents reduce their spending once their kids leave home, while approach No. 1 assumes spending remains the same after the kids move out. The study found that if you apply the assumption of reduced spending among empty nesters to the model used in approach No. 1, the percentage of households at risk of being unprepared for retirement drops from 24 percent to 12 percent.

Some parents count down the days until their kids no longer depend on them financially, and reward themselves with vacations, new cars or other big purchases. In a way, these parents suddenly realize they have all of this “extra” money they can spend on things other than their children. What they might not realize is this is a crucial point in their lives when they can help ensure they’re financially ready for retirement by taking that “extra” money and putting it toward their retirement income savings.

Maybe you or someone you know is about ready to officially be an empty nester. If so, this may be a good time to consider how you can begin to further feather your retirement nest. If we can help in any way, give us a call at 801-990-5055.

Our firm assists retirees and pre-retirees in the creation of retirement strategies utilizing investment and insurance products. Advisory services offered through B.O.S.S. Retirement Advisors, a Registered Investment Advisory firm.. Insurance products and services offered through B.O.S.S. Retirement Solutions. To see a list of services please visit us at bossretirement.com/services.

This content is provided for informational purposes only. It is provided by third parties and has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. The information is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual’s situation.We are not affiliated with any government agency including the Social Security Administration.