Planning your Latino parents' retirement

A few years back, my siblings and I began what would turn out to be a long, somewhat arduous conversation: What’s going to happen with Mom? They moved their parents into a senior apartment complex and split their rent and some of their bills, but “for the long term, that’s a bigger conversation that we’re trying to have.” Both parents worked blue-collar jobs, as Acosta put it, earning their wages working in farms and factories. “They paid Social Security and retirement, but they can’t really pull that back.” That’s because folks here without authorization are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits, even if they’ve paid taxes. “Recently, I’ve had to set boundaries with my parents about financial support and what’s realistic versus just handing them money like I’m a cash cow,” said Tirado, whose parents emigrated from Puerto Rico and El Salvador and worked in the U.S. as a chauffeur and housekeeper. But at the same time, I feel like she’s impeding my growth financially and also my career.” Roxana admits to feeling resentment toward her mom, who she feels could have done more to plan for her retirement, and also tends to splurge when she does have money.