The signs were there in the pre-pandemic era, as the great wave of baby boomers crashed into old age, many without traditional pensions or savings. Now, with unemployment rates at historic levels and the stock market on a white-knuckle ride, Americans are being forced to give up their old notions about retirement.
Please click on the links below to explore the new rules of retirement. This list will be regularly updated.
We made a bot to help you plan for retirement during the pandemic
2020 has scrambled a lot of our expectations, so check in with personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary to see whether your retirement plans are still on track. This interactive tool will give you a sense of where you are financially, so you can make better decisions about what you need to do to retire when you want, with enough money to live comfortably. — By Michelle Singletary and Youjin Shin
More advice from Michelle Singletary on securing your retirement in these uncertain times
Nancy and Terry Koch of West Allis, Wis., are struggling to make ends meet in their retirement. Nancy is a retired psychiatric nurse, and Terry was a technical writer. (Darren Hauck for The Washington Post) Millions of baby boomers are caught in a broken retirement system
The Washington Post spoke to six Americans who have come to the end of their working lives with no financial cushion. The coronavirus pandemic has scrambled many Americans’ financial futures, but some baby boomers have found surprising ways to cope with the downturn in the economy. — By Will Englund
Here are the new rules for post-pandemic retirement
As the coronavirus pandemic upends the economy, there’s never been a better time to re-examine the conventional wisdom about retirement. — By Michelle Singletary
Gregory Bates, seen here outside his Milwaukee home, cashed in his retirement plan early, and now lives with his mother. (Darren Hauck/For The Washington Post) How to fix the retirement system
You can’t turn the clock back and start saving. But a few proposals could help baby boomers and younger workers with no nest egg. — By Will Englund
Social Security puts you in better shape for retirement than you think
For people who will get an $18,000 annual benefit when they turn 65 next year, that’s another $200,000 toward retirement – and even more when you take the inflation adjustment into account. — By Allan Sloan
Mary Seay, 73 poses for a photo with her father Walter Williams, 93, at his home in Atlanta. (Elijah Nouvelage for The Washington Post) (Elijah Nouvelage) Adult children pay the price of keeping aging parents at home
Maintaining home ownership preserves wealth and independence for elderly parents, but work and worries mount for the next generation. — By Christopher Rowland
Why these Midwest states are the last bastion of retirement plans
Employer-provided retirement plans have been vanishing everywhere since their peak around the year 2000. But in two states, they remain relatively common. We tried to figure out why. — By Andrew Van Dam
The past two months have generated significant upheaval for retirees like the Spencers who had hoped to spend their golden years traveling North America by RV. (Courtney Pedroza for The Washington Post) (Courtney Pedroza) An RV retirement, a little closer to home
For those who spent years planning to hit the open road in retirement, the coronavirus has forced a whole suite of decisions about housing and finances. — By Gregory Scruggs
The coronavirus is forcing some expat retirees to come back
Lured by warm weather and the prospect that their Social Security benefits would go further, a growing number of Americans had been looking to retire abroad. — By Sindya N. Bhanoo
Art direction by Clare Ramirez. Design by Audrey Valbuena.