Child-free couples need bigger retirement corpus

The Story in Brief

Many child-free couples believe they need a smaller retirement nest egg because they have no children to raise. But experts say this assumption can be dangerous. Without adult children to step in during old age, child-free couples often need a larger corpus to pay for professional care, assisted living, legal help, and household management. The financial burden shifts from family support to purchased services.

Couples without children must also plan for long-term medical needs and the risk that one spouse loses the ability to care for the other. Building a retirement fund that covers basic living expenses, discretionary spending, and emergencies is critical. Insurance coverage including critical illness and disability is also essential. Planning goes beyond simple wealth accumulation to securing autonomy and dignity in later life.