As society ages, how to manage retirement assets has become a hot topic. Many people worry that lacking money in retirement will bring hardship, but does having money truly guarantee a peaceful old age?
Japanese media outlet THE GOLD ONLINE reported on the case of Hiroshi Tajima (pseudonym), a 78-year-old man living alone in Tokyo. Before retiring, he was an ordinary office worker, but he was extraordinarily obsessed with money. Whenever his wife offered opinions on household finances, he would yell, "Who is the one earning the money?" When his son got married and bought a home, Hiroshi preemptively declared, "Don't count on me," even though his son had not asked for financial help.
His wife tolerated his high-handed attitude for many years, but they finally divorced when Hiroshi was 68. He was forced to pay her 20 million yen (about NT$4 million) in the property settlement, a loss he remained bitter about ever since. After the divorce, he continued to live alone and occasionally met with his eldest son's family. However, every meeting revolved around money. He would ask questions like, "Isn't it a waste of money to enroll the kids in so many extracurricular classes?" and even told his son, "I will spend my money on myself, so don't expect an inheritance."
Consequently, the relationship between father and son gradually drifted apart.
It was not until Hiroshi fell ill and was hospitalized at the age of 78 that his eldest son visited his ward for the first time in a long while. Besides preparing change of clothes and daily necessities, the son also helped handle the relevant procedures. However, instead of expressing gratitude, Hiroshi complained, "You brought the wrong things, and I'm not paying for them." Upon seeing the condolence money his son left behind, he sneered, "Is this all?"
Hearing this, the eldest son finally snapped, stating bluntly, "Money, money, money—it's really annoying." He then told his father, "If money is so important to you, just cling to your money and stay alone until you die. Don't have anything to do with us ever again."
This became the final conversation between father and son. After Hiroshi was discharged from the hospital, his eldest son never visited his home again, stopped sending photos of the grandchildren, and cut off contact on birthdays and New Year's. Even so, Hiroshi still believes that with about 70 million yen in assets, his pension, and sufficient capacity to pay for care and housekeeping services, "as long as I have money, being alone is enough."
However, a survey by the Cabinet Office of Japan shows that among single elderly men living alone, 12.8% answered that they "often or always" feel lonely. Among those who have "no one to rely on" when facing difficulties in daily life, the proportion of those feeling strong loneliness reaches as high as 25.1%, far higher than the 2.7% among those who have someone to rely on.
The report points out that abundant assets do not mean a secure and worry-free old age. If one neglects or even cuts off relationships with family, friends, and society simply because "money is enough," one may only realize when falling ill or encountering unexpected emergencies that there are almost no people left to reach out to for help.
For the elderly, besides preparing a sufficient retirement fund, it is also essential to maintain connections with family, friends, and society. While money can solve many practical problems in life, it may not necessarily fill the void of loneliness.
