Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
Retirement is supposed to be the reward after decades of work. But for millions of Americans, the bigger concern is whether they’ll ever be able to afford it. That’s especially true for people who got a late start building wealth, whether because of low wages, career setbacks or debt.
After years of struggling to break into the profession he studied for, one 53-year-old man is finally working in accounting. He said on Reddit recently that despite earning both an accounting degree and an MBA, he spent years in fast food because he “couldn’t get anyone to give me a chance for an accounting position.” With just over $1,000 saved for retirement, he’s now asking: “Probably not gonna be able to retire, am I?”
Don’t Miss:
A Late Start and a Big Hill to Climb
The man said he recently started building both an emergency fund and retirement savings after spending years earning just enough to stay afloat. Earlier this year, he landed an accounting position at a small firm paying $45,000 a year.
He described some positive progress. His credit score is above 600, he has started an emergency fund, and he’s contributing $700 per month to a traditional IRA.
But he also faces major challenges, as he has about $147,000 in student loan debt.
Looking for a way to make up for lost time, he said he hopes to earn his certified public accountant license and potentially open his own accounting practice later in life. He asked fellow Redditors how he could put himself in a position to retire before age 75 or 80.
Many commenters argued that his situation is difficult, but far from hopeless.
Several people told him that increasing his income is likely more important than trying to squeeze a few extra dollars into savings. “Either getting raises or leveraging [the current position] to find a better job,” one person advised. “Side hustle when you can, and see if you can get that CPA without adding more debt.”
Trending: Explore Jeff Bezos-backed Arrived Homes and see how investors are earning passive rental income — now with a limited-time 1% bonus match for new investors.
Others pointed out that accounting professionals can often earn significantly more than $45,000 once they gain experience, move firms or advance into management roles.
For people trying to build retirement savings later in life, finding more money to invest can still make a very meaningful difference. Albert helps you manage budgeting, saving and investing from a single dashboard while automatically scanning bills for potential savings. By helping you identify extra money in your budget, Albert can help you free up additional cash to be directed toward retirement accounts. Join over 20 million people on Albert who have already saved and invested more than $2 billion.
Why Commenters Focused on Government Jobs
A recurring recommendation involved government and nonprofit accounting jobs.
Many suggested pursuing positions that could qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Under the program, eligible borrowers who make qualifying payments while working for qualifying employers can have their remaining federal student loan balances forgiven.
See Also: Most brokers charge you to trade options. Public shares up to 50% of its revenue back with you — earning eligible traders $0.06–$0.18 per contract.
Others added that government jobs may also offer pensions, stable employment and strong benefits.
Several people encouraged the man to focus on retirement savings instead of aggressively paying down student debt. One person wrote, “Don’t pay $1 more than the minimum on your student loan,” one person wrote. “Your student loans die with you. You’re losing compounding benefits of investing that 100 for retirement and instead paying down a debt that goes away when you pass away.”
The overall consensus was that retirement may not look luxurious, but it could still be achievable. Most suggested planning to work until around age 70, maximizing Social Security benefits, continuing to invest and focusing on growing income.
As one commenter put it, “The game is not over till the bell rings.”
Read Next: You don’t need a large trading account to trade futures at scale—here’s how traders are entering evaluation programs to qualify for funded accounts
Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market
Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.
Arrived
Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.
Realberry
Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.
FarmTogether
Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.
Immersed
Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.
Fundrise
Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.
Mode Mobile
Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.
EquityMultiple
For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.
Image: Shutterstock
This article He Has Accounting Degree but Spent Years Working Fast Food Jobs. At 53, He’s Asking, ‘Probably Not Gonna Be Able to Retire, Am I?’ originally appeared on Benzinga.com
© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
