Nearly Half of Parents Are Jeopardizing Their Retirement. Here's How to Avoid Making the Same Mistake by Alix Langone Almost half of parents are still paying off their own student loans when it comes time to write their child’s college tuition checks, according to a study by private lender College Ave Student Loans and Barnes & Noble College Insights. What’s more, 46% of parents surveyed say they will retire later than originally planned due to this double burden.