A baby boomer living on $1,470 monthly in Social Security returned to work to support her children and grandchildren: ‘I try to help as much as I can’

Pamela Shields, 67, works part-time jobs to supplement her Social Security income.

Pamela Shields is one of many older Americans who “unretired” because she couldn’t live solely off her Social Security checks.

The 67-year-old splits her time between caring for older neighbors and working the night shift at her local grocery store. It can be exhausting, but she feels like it’s her only option to pay the bills.

“I really want to be retired and not have to do all this stuff to make a living,” Shields told B-17. “But I don’t see myself doing that.”

Shields lives in Fort Worth, Texas, on her $1,470 monthly Social Security payments. She supplements that income with the roughly $600 she earns each month from her grocery and caregiving jobs. Between them, she often works seven days a week.

Shields hoped she’d be done working at this point in her life. She had a long career in customer service and human resources, and she built a 401(k) account with some retirement savings. But after two divorces and unexpected medical expenses, she’s doing her best to keep her family and herself financially afloat.

Shields’ experience underscores a larger American retirement crisis. B-17 talked with more than 50 baby boomers who primarily rely on their monthly Social Security checks to get by, and many said that wasn’t enough to cover essentials. One in five adults 50 and over surveyed by AARP and the University of Chicago’s NORC research firm in January said they didn’t have retirement savings. Those who do have savings worry they’ll outlive what’s in the bank.

With financial woes in their golden years, some older Americans have returned to work. LinkedIn’s Economic Graph said it found that about 13% of baby boomers on the platform returned to the workforce, or “unretired,” in 2023, a five-year high.

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Social Security isn’t enough for some to live on

Shields wanted to work until she was 67 but ended up retiring at 59 after injuries from a car accident prevented her from working.

She unretired when she realized her monthly Social Security payments wouldn’t be enough to support herself or her family. Medical bills and delays in receiving her disability payments also led her to drain her 401(k).

Shields said she sometimes has to sit down during her shifts at the grocery store “because my feet hurt so bad.”

Working two part-time jobs is how Shields can put food on the table. She’s been a single mom for over a decade, and while her three children are adults, Shields said she still provides them with some financial support. One of her daughters lives with her because of health issues.

Shields shoulders many of her family’s expenses on her own. She said that Medicare covered most of her healthcare needs but that housing costs, utility payments, and cellphone bills stretch her tight budget. She also chips in on her grandson’s marching-band fees and helps with one of her children’s grocery bills when she’s able. “I try to help as much as I can,” she said.

Shields isn’t sure when she’ll be able to fully retire. She said she didn’t expect her retirement expenses to be so high and didn’t save enough money to offset the unexpected costs of medical care, her divorces, and parenting. She advises others to learn about finances early in life and give their children a strong financial education.

“Life has dealt this hand to me,” she said. “I’m not really happy about it, but I’m doing the best I can.”