‘The American Dream is a farce’: US readers on the financial stress delaying milestones

Jobs, homes, kids, retirement - some say instability worsened under Trump is forcing them to postpone it all

Americans are getting married, having kids, buying a home, and retiring years later than what once was the norm. Many don't ever reach these milestones.

While there is a complex web of factors that go into decisions like having kids or buying a house, a person's financial situation often plays an major role. In a May Harris/Guardian poll, six out of 10 Americans said that the economy had affected at least one of their major life goals, because of either a lack of affordability or anxiety about where the economy is heading.