Sandwich Generation Finances: A Guide to Protecting Yourself

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How does the term “personal finance” make you feel? Confident? Nervous? Optimistic? Hopeless? If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve built your adult relationship with money over at least the past couple of decades. Multi-generational caregiving is challenging on its own, but when you layer in sandwich generation finances, it turns into a full spread.

As a child, I was taught that time equals wisdom. That of course can be true, but in reality the compounding interest of our decisions trends down or up. It’s just as likely we have an unhealthy relationship with money decades into adulthood as we do a thriving one. We might have high financial literacy or, figuratively speaking, never learned to read. And even those of us who are “money smart” may still struggle financially due to personal or systemic challenges.

Whatever your situation is, you’re not alone, you likely didn’t get there on your own, and improvement is always within your reach.

Sandwich Generation money trends

Let’s look at the big picture first. The sandwich generation—mostly Gen X and Millennials—is managing complex financial demands. Generation X carries greater debt than any other. Speaking just of credit card debt, Experian cites Gen X’s as exceeding $9,000. It also leads in every other major type of consumer debt—mortgage, car payments, and student loans. Milennials aren’t far behind, and it’s expected that by 2030 they will lead with an estimated average amount of over $200,000 per person. Why is this? There isn’t a single answer but there is a significant common factor. Debt tends to grow with life responsibilities. Juggling the demands of raising kids, caring for aging parents and managing a career (one that’s likely in its peak earning years) sounds like responsibility to me. Responsibility can be expensive.

So what now? Let’s break down actionable steps every single one of us can, and should, take to ensure we our finances are as (astoundingly) responsible as we are. After all, we have to take care of ourselves first or this whole caretaking sandwich falls apart. Let’s dig in.

Educate yourself

“Education costs money, but then so does ignorance.” – Claus Moser

For many of us, a solid financial education wasn’t taught either in school or at home. Thankfully there are endless resources for acquiring this and many of them are free or affordable.

The first step here is assessing your own financial picture. Do you periodically calculate your net worth? Have you ever done that? Your feelings about that number don’t change the facts but ignoring it can seriously hurt your future. If you don’t know how, find a simple online calculator, like this one. What about your retirement forecast? Vanguard’s retirement calculator is one tool to help you track your retirement goals. Those numbers and the figures feeding them are good indicators of the type of education you’ll need. Note – if you are already working with a financial advisor, make sure they reviewing these numbers with you.

Then it’s time to voraciously educate yourself. Read books, sign up for courses at local credit unions, try different podcasts, and consider working with a fiduciary, fee-only advisor. Find what you like and get obsessed so that you have the knowledge to make a plan.

Do you have a negative net worth and are drowning in consumer debt with little to nothing saved for retirement? That’s we call hair on fire. Perhaps a book that completely overhauls your financial habits, such as Dave Ramsey’s famous The Total Money Makeover is your step 1. For what it’s worth, I don’t agree with everything he says (for example, I love using credit cards for travel rewards) but think his baby steps can save a sinking ship.

If you’re feeling decent about your finances but want to learn more and keep solidifying your future, it’s a good idea to use more than one resource to level up your knowledge.

• Podcasts: When I needed to build better money habits and turn my own financial ship around I devoured the Afford Anything, ChooseFI and Catching up to FI podcasts, Now I like listening to Prof G Markets to stay informed on market news and trends, although I do fast forwards past Scott’s opening jokes.
• Books: I like the Simple Path to Wealth for building a long term plan and mental resilience. Another recommendation is Your Money or Your Life, which helps alter your relationship to money through psychology and actionable tools. It is long winded but has good payoff. This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the books available to you.
• Websites: I enjoy Bogleheads for overall investment and financial advice and Mr.Money Mustache for straightforward lifestyle and money guidance. These two sites have no frills layouts but wonderful content.

Make a money plan

All the knowledge in the world won’t change your account balances! Let’s be honest. As middle age caretakers, we don’t have the luxury of time. The decade or two ahead of us is crucial to make sure our finances allow us to retire comfortably. A 20 or 30 year old simply has more time to recover from setbacks, poor decisions, or financial ignorance than we do. So, whatever your past history with money is, be aggressive when it comes to setting and meeting your goals. It’s a form of love for yourself and your family.

What should your plan include?

Set your retirement age goal

• You’ll want to calculate your approximate monthly expenses, adjusted for inflation. For example, 5K a month today is 8K a month in 20 years at 2.5% inflation.
• Use the rule of 25 to multiple your anticipated annual expenses by 25. That’s the amount you’ll likely need to retire comfortably.

Calculate your net worth

• As mentioned above, you need to know your net worth and should recalculate it at least annually.

Maximize your retirement contributions

• The current maximum contribution is $23,000 for 401(k) (plus $7,500 if you’re 50 or over) and $7000 for IRA/Roth IRA (or $8000 for 50 or over). HSAs are also available as tax deductible investment vehicles.
• If this is too much, set a stretch goal. Automate your savings to attempt to reach that stretch goal and let other parts of your life follow. Imagine what your life will look like in 20 years if you don’t consistently invest in your retirement – that’s motivation.

Pay off your debt

• Prioritize high interest debt.
• Choose date goals for paying off each debt and track your progress monthly.

Assess your retirement investment strategy

• Wherever you are in your retirement journey, it’s worth reviewing your portfolio at least annually.
• Lean towards low cost index funds. Review fees for your current investments. Assess your diversification strategy.

Plan for your kids college

1. If you choose to contribute to a 529 plan, don’t do it at the expense of your own retirement.
2. If it fits your situation, consider alternatives to make college more financially accessible, such as dual enrollment during high school, or beginning at a community college and then transferring to a 4 year university.

Protect your family and assets

• Life insurance – this is non-negotiable! Any amount is better than leaving behind a lump sum of 0.
• Estate planning. If you don’t leave directions on who you want to raise your children and how you want your money to be handled, the state will decide that for you. Please, leave this in writing. There are resources ranging from free wills to personalized, full-service legal support from an estate attorney.

Assess and adjust

• There’s a plan and then there’s life! It’s easy to scrap a plan when it gets hard or messy or frustrating. It’s hard to devote time to things like portfolio rebalancing or reviewing your monthly expenses. There’s a quote by the cartoonist Joseph Roland Barbera that sums up why it’s worth the pain:

“Happiness is the real sense of fulfillment that comes from hard work.”

If you do the hard things today then you and your bank account will be happy tomorrow.

Establish boundaries

There you have it. You’ve now mapped out a solid plan! But here’s the catch: you might be the only one in your sandwich feeling excited about it. And that’s okay. Sharing what you’re learning and planning, especially with your spouse or partner, is essential. These conversations will need to happen regularly and evolve over time.

That can be tough, especially when your plan involves lifestyle changes or newly drawn boundaries. Remember, many of your family’s financial patterns were shaped gradually, and change often takes time. Still, some shifts may need to happen more quickly to protect your finances, and that’s where clear communication and firm boundaries will protect your plan and your future.

Conclusion

It won’t all happen overnight, and it doesn’t have to. Start where you are, keep learning, and stay honest, with yourself and with the people depending on you. Wealth-building in a world that can so easily drain it from you isn’t easy, but it’s possible. With the right financial education, a solid plan, and clear boundaries, you can shape a future that feels secure.

This is the flavor your sandwich deserves.