Retirement marks a pivotal transition not only for individuals but also for their families. Existing research has examined relational aspects of retirement but primarily focuses on how family members influence the retiree’s well-being rather than on the impact of this transition on other family members and the broader family system. To address this imbalance, the present review synthesizes evidence drawing upon Family Life Course Theory and Family Systems Theory. Using a well-established five-stage framework, we conducted extensive database searches and refined our guiding research question. Of the 4034 studies identified, 61 were selected for detailed analysis. Data extraction and thematic coding, supported by MAXQDA 24 software, revealed eight interconnected themes: marital quality and conflict; dyadic adjustments between partners; financial impacts and concerns; time use and leisure; redistribution of domestic roles; health outcomes; emotional and psychological effects on the family unit; and intergenerational dynamics. Across these domains, gender consistently emerged as a central, asymmetrical determinant of adaptation. Ultimately, this review demonstrates that retirement constitutes a relational turning point within families and calls for future research to adopt inclusive, longitudinal designs, and for practitioners and policymakers to develop family-centred interventions that recognize the systemic impact of retirement.
Cox et al. (2026) studied this question.