Their goal is a peaceful retirement. Up to half a million dollars in student loans is standing in the way.

Teona Gherasim

For some, retirement means relaxation. For Jordan Hendrickson, retirement means debt . "I don't have any retirement savings," Hendrickson, 54, told Business Insider. "I don't see any other way than working up until my last day." Hendrickson received her doctorate in psychology in 2013, bringing her total student-loan balance to about $350,000, including what she borrowed for her bachelor's and master's degrees. While she qualified for Pell Grants, which are awarded to low-income students,