Why Taking a Career Break at 50+ Might Be Your Best Life Decision
You’ve done everything right.
You’ve built a career, saved diligently, maxed your 401(k), bought the house, and grown the portfolio with a healthy mix of both retirement and taxable funds.
And now, all you want is a break.
Not forever — maybe just for a year. Maybe until your nervous system resets or you find a boss who treats you like a human and a working environment that you feel good in.
But here’s the problem: you’re scared. And for seemingly good reasons — but are they really good reasons or just stories you’ve told yourself so many times they feel like truth?
I’ve worked with dozens of high-achieving women who hit this wall - usually around their early to mid-50s. Financially stable. Emotionally frayed. What are some of their stories?
💬 Story #1: “I’ll ruin my long-term financial plan if I quit for a year.”
Not true for everyone. If you’ve saved aggressively, your portfolio may be able to support a pause, especially if your spending is reasonable.
A year off at 57 is not the same as a year off at 37 — you’ve likely built enough financial slack to weather a break.
Consider a Gap Year Budget and run a stress test. You might be shocked by how little it affects your long-term plan. The key is to use conservative assumptions, (for example, 5% investment returns instead of 8%), so you feel confident in the outcome.
💬 Story #2: “If I leave, I’ll never make the same money again.”
This fear is real — and often gendered. But some of the most financially and emotionally rewarding pivots happen because of that break.
What matters more is clarity: What do you want next? What are you willing to give up in exchange for peace of mind and health right now?
A break is a good chance to explore the question – how much is enough?
Sometimes a lower-paying but values-aligned role and a healthier work environment is the right next step — if the numbers work.
💬 Story #3: “Financial independence means freedom — and if I stop making money, I’ll lose it.”
Financial independence doesn’t automatically mean emotional freedom. We’re socialized to value productivity, and it takes intentional work to disconnect worth from work.
Stepping away from a toxic environment can give you the space to think again. To ask: What do I want from this next chapter? That is freedom.
You may not need permission — just a plan.
🔧 Tactical Tips: How to Take a Break Without Breaking Your Financial Future
1. Can You Afford a Year Off?
Start by estimating your total annual spending — including health insurance if you’ll lose employer coverage.
Subtract any ongoing income (RSU vesting, rental income, any K-1 income).
The gap can often be covered with cash savings or modest withdrawals from a taxable brokerage account.
Run a stress test using conservative assumptions: no portfolio growth, or even a slight decline. See what it does to your long-term plan.
📝 You might find the impact is minimal — especially if you’re not withdrawing from retirement accounts or selling appreciated assets.
2. What About Health Insurance?
COBRA lets you continue your employer plan, usually for up to 18 months, but depending on the state you live in can be 36 months — but it's expensive.
ACA marketplace plans may be more affordable than you think, especially if your income drops during your break.
HSAs can help if you’ve saved for future healthcare expenses — and distributions are tax-free if used for qualified expenses.
3. Staying Professionally “Fresh” While on Break
You don’t need to disappear. Consider light consulting, project work, or volunteering in your field.
Enroll in a course or certificate program — not necessarily to pad your résumé, but to stay engaged and curious.
Keep your LinkedIn profile active. Even a simple post now and then helps signal that you’re still in the game.
Meet colleagues and other people in your field for coffee just to stay in touch with what is going on.
🎯 This isn’t a shutdown — it’s a strategic pause.
4. Preparing Emotionally: Who Are You Without the Job?
This can be the hardest part. We're conditioned to derive our value from our work.
Practice your answer to “So, what do you do?” in a way that feels proud and intentional.
Build in some structure: part-time projects, creative work, physical activity, travel, or simply time to rest.
💡 The more intentional your pause, the more powerful your return — or reinvention — will be.
🪞Permission, Redefined
Taking a break doesn’t mean you’ve failed.
It means you’ve succeeded enough to choose yourself.
If you’re a woman of independent means, burnout isn’t a luxury problem — it’s a signal. And your financial freedom isn’t just there to help you retire someday. It’s there so you don’t lose yourself before you get there.
What's holding you back from taking a break?
My story:
I was a mid-life career changer myself. I always dreamed of being an independent financial advisor, but I didn’t think I could do it. I told myself the stories and almost chickened out. I left a well-paying corporate career to start my own financial planning practice. It was scary, but exhilarating. It turned out to be not only the best financial decision but one of the best life decisions I ever made.
This is so great. This seems like a foreign concept for Gen Xers and boomers, but Gen Z has this figured out - at least the break part 😁