'Is This the Worst Time to Be 65 in America?' — Business Owner Fears 'Executive Branch' Crushed His Retirement Dreams After 40 + Years Of Hard Work

As markets wobble, inflation eats at savings, and global instability fuels anxiety, one 65-year-old posed the question that's now echoing across retirement circles: "Is this the worst time to be 65 years old in America?"

The post—shared by a solo business owner in the r/Retire subreddit—wasn't some abstract financial rant. It was personal. "I raised my children on my own for the bulk of their lives and didn't have 2 nickels to rub together until the last few years," the user wrote. "I started saving only in the last 5 or so years." Now, staring down retirement with limited time to catch up, he's watching a volatile economy tighten the screws.

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His concerns weren't just about his own balance sheet. "Did our executive branch just set fire to my hopes and expectation to be able to enjoy the 40+ years of hard work?" he asked.

He's not alone. Many older Americans—especially late savers or small business owners—are looking at their retirement plans and wondering if the ground is shifting beneath them. Even those with some savings are finding that higher costs, uncertain markets, and geopolitical tension are chipping away at long-held expectations.

"I'm glad I'm not young and I feel really bad for my adult children going through these times," one commenter wrote, saying they're now prioritizing leaving money behind for their kids instead of spending it themselves.

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Others pushed back on the gloom, pointing to market resilience: "Where was the market a year ago? Look at the last five years—things have gone on a major tear." A market dip, one said, might actually be a good opportunity for younger investors to jump in.

But one reply hit on something deeper: "The market recovering doesn't fix the damage being done, which is structural." From global trust in the U.S. dollar to growing geopolitical friction, the poster argued that the economic model itself may be shifting in ways that don't resemble anything retirees saw in 2008—or ever.

For this 65-year-old business owner, retirement isn't about a 401(k) or a cushy pension. It's about figuring out how to wind down a niche business with no clear resale value, relocate from expensive New York, and support a partner who hasn't been able to save.

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He's cobbled together "some $" that could sustain them both, but he's not sure it's enough. And that uncertainty—about both personal finances and the bigger picture—is what seems to be hitting a nerve.

For millions of Americans approaching retirement age, the question isn't just whether the market will bounce back. It's whether the next 20 years will look anything like the last 40—and if all that effort will buy the retirement they've been promised for decades.

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