My house is paid off.’ “I’ve helped them several times, including $12,000 last year when they fell behind on their property taxes.” (Photo subject is a model.) /iStockphoto I have read several letters from readers in recent months who are worried about whether they can afford to retire. I have almost the opposite problem: I retired two years ago, and I can afford my own life just fine. What I can’t seem to afford is saying “no” to my children.
I’m 68, widowed and retired from a career in municipal government. I receive $2,870 a month from Social Security and $2,100 a month from my pension. I also have $310,000 in an IRA and $46,000 in savings.
My house is paid off and worth about $410,000. Copyright ©2026 MarketWatch, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8 My brother-in-law convinced his parents to sign over their home and life savings to buy a $3 million compound.
He wants a vacation home. I want to save for retirement. Options traders are betting on a dramatic drop in interest rates Rising yields are quietly crashing the stock market’s earlier winners of 2026 Fed’s minutes show no appetite for a series of interest-rate hikes Quentin Fottrell is MarketWatch's managing editor for advice columns and writes the column The Moneyist.
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