I must have grown up in a different neighbourhood from Rob Carrick.  I remember 'boomer' parents who got laid off from their jobs in I.T. and aviation technology in the 1990s.  Suddenly, there were unemployed parents -- astounding to schoolchildren.  Later, parents in electronics' jobs saw their work outsourced.  Those parents found other jobs ... or invented jobs ... but defined pensions were not part of the deal.  Who gets those, aside from public sector workers, or maybe 20% of the workforce ..?  I have read 70% of workers have NO company pension plans, so they save for themselves.  Most of us are familiar with contract work now.  Several of the 'kids' (whose 'boomer' parents 're-invented' their own jobs) now work contracts.  Those parents who retained their homes understand that contract work doesn't always connect, so they and some of their adult children re-arranged the 'family home' where they share space & expenses while each saves for the future. Any stats on this phenomenon?