Should Retirement Wait Until 75? Millennials Say It Won't Matter Because Society Won't Make It That Far

An article excerpt suggesting people should consider working until 75 instead of 65 has struck a nerve with millennials on Reddit. It argued that pushing back retirement “instantly add[s] a decade of peak earning years,” creating more savings and a more secure future.

Peak Earning Years? Not If No One Hires You

The reaction was swift and overwhelmingly critical. Many Reddit users said the suggestion ignores the reality of ageism in the workplace. "No one wants to hire a 55-year-old," one commenter wrote, adding that they've seen countless people laid off just years before retirement, forced to work low-wage jobs for another decade or more.

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Others shared personal stories of parents, coworkers, and friends losing their jobs in their 50s or early 60s and never regaining comparable employment. One person recalled, "My parents got laid off in 2008/2009, my dad at 60 years old. That was his last real job. 401(k) slaughter as a bonus. And most importantly, his mental health fell off a cliff."

Health And Life Expectancy Concerns

The life expectancy in the U.S. hovers around 75 to 78, commenters noted, making the suggestion impractical. "Add a decade of peak earning to work until 75 when the average life expectancy in the US is 78. Never mind that another decade of working likely reduces your life expectancy. No thanks," one wrote.

Dozens of replies told of people dying shortly before or soon after retiring. "A coworker retired on a Friday. Died on Sunday," one person shared. Another added, "My mom died a month before retirement."

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Physical Limits And Workplace Reality

Commenters stressed that working longer is simply not physically possible for many. White-collar workers face discrimination past 50, and blue-collar workers often experience serious physical strain by their late 40s. One self-described emergency room nurse said they had “maybe 20 good years left” before their body gave out.

Several rejected the claim that 65 to 75 could be peak earning years. As one person put it, "65-75 are not my peak earning years." Another called the article "corporate shill" propaganda.

Frustration With The Bigger Picture

Some saw the proposal as part of a broader push to delay benefit payouts. "They want people to die before they start having to pay out their benefits," a commenter claimed.

Others pointed to how working longer would block younger generations from advancing. "If we all work 10 years longer, that's 10 years that the younger generations can't move up because we're occupying those positions," one noted.

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A few even dismissed the entire debate as irrelevant. "Society will probably collapse before any millennial makes it to 75," one person wrote, echoing a sentiment that the world's current challenges make long-term retirement planning feel almost absurd.

Many turned to gallows humor, with one person summarizing retirement at 75 as simply, " code for work till you die." Another wrote, "I am planning on dying much sooner, it's way cheaper."

Some discussed lowering expectations entirely. One commenter said their retirement plan was, "dying in the climate wars." 

For most in the thread, however, the idea of working until 75 was more than just unrealistic; it was a grim reminder of the uncertain future ahead.

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