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A 35-year-old IT worker says he’s starting to wonder whether retirement is even possible.

Despite earning about $50,000 a year, maintaining steady employment and contributing to a retirement account, he recently shared his finances online and admitted that the numbers have left him discouraged. “Doing the math I really am thinking retirement is a pipe dream and I will be working until the end,” he wrote on Reddit.

His concern wasn’t driven by credit card debt or extravagant spending. Instead, much of his paycheck goes toward supporting his disabled father, whose mortgage he is effectively covering each month.

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According to the financial details he shared, he takes home about $2,616 per month after taxes and deductions. His largest expense by far is housing. He pays roughly $1,800 each month, an amount that covers the mortgage on the home where he and his father live.

Other monthly expenses include $265 in medical bills, $160 for internet and television service, $110 for car insurance, $40 in student loans and smaller recurring costs. After everything is paid, he estimates he has about $200 left for food, unexpected expenses and anything else that comes up.

“I had to stop paying into my retirement for the last month because of another big unexpected bill that popped up,” he said.

While he described his criminal justice degree as “useless,” he has worked in IT since 2020 and currently serves as an endpoint administrator. Even so, he said finding a job paying more than $50,000 has been difficult.

The financial picture initially appeared bleak. He has about $23,000 spread across retirement and investment accounts, including roughly $17,000 in a retirement plan.

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A Bigger Opportunity

Many readers argued that retirement wasn’t actually the biggest issue. Instead, they focused on the housing arrangement. Although the mortgage is in his father’s name, the worker said he is effectively making the payments by covering about $1,800 per month in housing costs so his disabled father can remain in the home.

His father still owes approximately $60,000 to $70,000 on the mortgage, and the property is estimated to be worth around $200,000. A number of people suggested he talk to an estate-planning lawyer and look into ways to keep the house in the family, such as setting up a trust, transferring ownership or taking over the mortgage.

Others said he may be looking at things too negatively because his estimates didn’t include Social Security benefits or the extra money his employer adds to his retirement account.

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Some also added that five years of IT experience could potentially open doors to higher-paying roles in cybersecurity, cloud computing, networking or systems administration.

“You’re not cooked,” one commenter summed up the prevailing sentiment. “You’re underpaid.”

The worker acknowledged that some of the suggestions gave him hope, particularly after learning about the possibility of assuming his father’s mortgage.

Right now, he’s still worried about the future, but talking to a financial advisor could help him understand his options, make a plan for retirement and see if there are ways to save more money or get more value from what he already owns.

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This article ‘Retirement Is A Pipe Dream,’ Says A 35-Year-Old With A Decent Paying Job Who Feels Farther Behind Than Ever originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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