
Episode #75
Caught in the Middle: How to Support Your Kids and Aging Parents Without Sacrificing Your Retirement
What happens when everyone you love needs something from you financially? In this episode of She Talks Money , we’re talking about the “sandwich generation”—adults, and especially women, who find themselves supporting their children and aging parents while trying to protect their own financial future. We’ll unpack the hidden financial cost of caregiving, from reduced work hours and growing debt to putting retirement savings on the back burner. More importantly, we’ll talk about the conversations and boundaries that can help you prepare before a family crisis forces you to make decisions under pressure. You’ll learn what to discuss with aging parents about income, insurance, long-term care, legal documents, financial expectations, and end-of-life wishes; how to navigate responsibilities with siblings; and how to support adult children in ways that move them toward independence rather than creating long-term dependence. Because your retirement account is not the family emergency fund. By the end of the episode, you’ll have a framework for holding a family money meeting and creating three financial guardrails: what you’re willing to do for your kids, what you’re willing to do for your parents, and what you refuse to sacrifice in the process.

