Delayed retirement, what to do?

Recently, the internet has been buzzing about the delayed retirement policy. It's highly likely that both men and women will have to work until the age of 65 to retire.

There's a joke circulating online: Suppose a person born in the 1990s has a child at 29, and that child also has a child at 29. By the time the grandchild is born, the '90s parent won't be able to help take care of the grandkid because they'll be 58, still 7 years away from retirement. In other words, don't expect grandparents to help with childcare before the grandchild starts elementary school.

On the flip side, the idea of 'raising children for old-age support' isn't reliable either. Why? When this '90s parent reaches 85, their child will be 56—still 9 years away from retirement. By the time the child can take care of the parent, the '90s parent will already be 94. So in this scenario, it's a case of 'father and son, neither can help the other.'

Jokes aside, it's genuinely nerve-wracking, especially for those born between 1990 and 1995. Why? Demographically, this age group is actually larger than the '80s generation. What does this mean? It means this cohort faces intense workplace competition. Frankly, the only ones likely to make it to 65 without losing their jobs might be civil servants.

Finding a new job after unemployment in your 50s? Extremely tough. First, older workers struggle to compete with younger ones. Second, the 'unemployment triathlon' (delivery, ride-hailing, courier work) might not even be an option by then. With AI advancing so fast, autonomous vehicles will likely dominate. You won't be able to drive, and robots will probably handle deliveries—or 50-somethings simply won't have the stamina. Bottom line: Unemployment = income cutoff. And since you're not retirement age yet, no pension either.

Some might say, 'Rely on your kids.' But that's unrealistic. Do the math: If a woman had a child at 29, that child would now be 27 (56 - 29). At 27, they're early in their career, probably earning little—and might even be competing with you for jobs. So '90s kids can't count on social security or their children. The only option? Self-reliance.

How? To live decently post-50, '90s folks must: 1) Work hard now, 2) Spend less and save more, and 3) Immediately buy commercial insurance that allows women to claim at 55 and men at 60. Once delayed retirement takes effect, all insurance products will adjust to 65+ payouts.

Retiring at 55 or 60 is a generational privilege—a 'time-limited wool' you must grab now before it's gone.