Behind Is a Position, Not a Destination.
I thought I'd be further along by now, said with angst by women 50-64. According to new AARP research on the midlife financial squeeze puts a number behind a feeling many women quietly carry: 62% of women in this age range say their personal finances are falling short of where they expected to be at this point in life and only 35% of them say the economy is working well for them personally, versus 47% of women 65+.
That pressure is compounded by caregiving. Some 59 million Americans provide unpaid adult care worth an estimated $1.01 trillion annually, averaging 27 hours a week—and caregiving can simultaneously reduce the caregiver's earnings, savings and retirement preparation.
But there is a genuinely useful opportunity story for midlife women: 2026 retirement rules provide significantly more catch-up room. People 50+ can contribute up to $32,500 to many workplace retirement plans, while ages 60–63 may qualify for a $35,750 “super catch-up.”
What then can a woman actually do at 50, 55 or 60 when she realizes the financial picture isn't what she expected? There’s an app for that. No, seriously, you have options:
Income expansion. Debt elimination. Asset building. Multipreneurship. Retirement-date flexibility. Catch-up contributions. In other words: midlife still contains financial moves.
It’s important to remember that being behind isn't the same as being out of time.
For the 62% of women ages 50–64 who say they're not where they expected to be financially at this stage of life, some might feel shame. But it is more useful to produce a plan. Recognize that you do in fact have options
Because let’s face it: handwringing and lamenting “I'm behind” isn't a financial strategy—and it isn't a permanent identity. Behind is a moment in time or a season, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. We’re not glossing over the fact that if you’re 50+ we don’t have the luxury of 40 years to recover from every money decision. But we may have something we didn't have at 25: experience, earning power, skills, relationships and the ability to make much more intentional choices.
The question isn't “Why am I not further ahead?” The better question is: “What are the highest-impact financial moves I can still make from here?”
Take stock of your current situation, consider what you would like your tomorrows to look like and be intentional about leaning into the resources and expertise at your disposal and create a workable plan and timeframe to achieve your new life goals. There will be multiple avenues you can pursue. You just need to give yourself permission to take that first step. You can find additional resources on my website and weekly insights from my podcast.
Photo by camera obscura on Unsplash