oregonlive.com · 19 Sep, 14:00 · Finance briefing

Liz Weston: I don’t have kids, so who will help me pay my bills when I get old?

Financial commentator Liz Weston highlights the growing demographic of childless individuals who lack traditional family support networks for elder care.

What it means for you ↓ Courses for this story

28%average pay gap between certified and uncertified finance staff

2.4xfaster promotion with a professional credential

83%of finance leaders rank upskilling a top-3 priority

20days to your first credential

The briefing

The story
in brief.

What happened, who it affects, and why it landed on our intelligence desk — in plain English, sixty seconds or less.

Financial commentator Liz Weston highlights the growing demographic of childless individuals who lack traditional family support networks for elder care. The article examines how this shift challenges conventional retirement planning, as many previously relied on adult children for assistance or financial contribution in later life. Weston argues that without offspring, professionals must independently secure resources for long-term care and daily support. This report underscores the urgent need for alternative strategies, including robust private savings, comprehensive insurance, and formalised care arrangements, to ensure financial security and personal well-being in old age.

Employer demand for Finance and Accounting skills — indexed growth since 2019
Indicative index of skill mentions in professional job postings for the field this story moves (2019 = 1)

Your move

What this means
for your career.

Every headline redistributes opportunity. Here is who this one rewards — and how to be on the right side of it.

This trend demands that you rethink your long-term financial strategy beyond standard pension contributions. You must prioritise building liquid assets specifically earmarked for private care, as state support may be insufficient. Consequently, skills in personal wealth management and risk mitigation rise in value. Professionals in finance, law, and human resources should pay particular attention, as clients and employees increasingly seek guidance on independent elder care planning. A smart professional would immediately review their estate plans, invest in comprehensive long-term care insurance, and develop a network of professional support services. You should also consider upskilling in financial modelling to accurately project care costs, ensuring you remain self-reliant and secure throughout your retirement years.

For this story, the fields that convert it into pay are Finance and Accounting, Risk Management Strategies, Healthcare Management and Law — exactly the programmes matched below. The chart shows the indicative salary uplift certified professionals report in each of those fields; every one of them is a click away, from £79, finishing in as few as 20 days.

Indicative salary uplift in the fields matched to this story
Indicative ranges from published continuing-education salary studies, by field — each field is a recommended course below

Matched to this story

Enrol in these
to benefit.

These programmes position you for exactly this shift — online, self-paced, and finishing with a verifiable certificate you can share the day you pass.