Financial Lessons to Learn

India's sandwich generation consists of millions of people who find themselves financially responsible for their elderly parents as well as growing or adult children, and they are increasingly finding themselves in a quandary. Managing household responsibilities that include caring for these loved ones while tackling job pressures or running a business has become an untoward experience. The resulting business volatility and uncertainty about the future is since the start of the pandemic causing additional distress.

Paying home loans with easy monthly installments (EMI), auto payments and school fees are common family obligations. Extended families living under the same roof is also a regular arrangement with more than 80% of the country’s urban population between the ages of 22 and 29 live with their parents, compared with 60% in China and 35% in Australia, according to a survey by CBRE. As millions of Indians reach working age (i.e. individuals between 15 and 64 years of age) each year, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has noted that the number of these individuals not in the labor force is rising. Additionally, young adults are finding that the current economic environment may be making it especially difficult to get on a path that delivers on the job prospects they expect, as many graduating students have been unable to secure jobs after finishing school due to companies delaying hiring plans.

Without a stable job to support the household, this is adding to the strain of Indians in the sandwich generation. Not only are young adults staying with their families longer, but their difficulties getting stable career off the ground may reduce their ability down the line to adequately provide for their own family when they reach middle age. This is a particularly troubling trend if their parents were unable to save enough today for their own retirement years.

Aging Indians also pose a challenge to people in the sandwich generation. The good news is that the average life expectancy has climbed from almost 50 years of age in the 1970s to nearly 70 years old as of 2018, according to the Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. With many adults finding that they have not saved adequately for their retirement, the responsibility then falls to their children to provide for their wellbeing. These additional financial obligations do not tend to leave extra funds for saving today for contingencies or sudden emergencies.

This situation that the sandwich generation finds itself in offers younger generations a valuable lesson to learn from their parents. Indians who can begin saving for their future as soon as they land a job can craft a future where they are not dependent on their children. With greater interest returns than traditional savings accounts, young adults can begin laying the groundwork for a secure and independent future. This is why prioritizing retirement planning and education savings is so vital. No matter the situation in which you find yourself, primary earners should carve out the space to make provisions for the wellbeing of their family in the present and future.

Financial planning for protection today

The uncertainty of the day has created more concrete reasons to make arrangements for the people who matter most. Insurance plans such as PNB MetLife’s Family Protection Solutions provide a security net and the peace of mind that your family will be protected in an emergency. It is also a viable solution to consider when providing for loved ones at different stages of their life cycle. This is because plans like these ensure life cover to provide for children, spouses, aging parents, and even siblings, as well as health coverage for critical illnesses that may diminish your earning potential.

Retirement planning for care-free golden years

Looking ahead, you also want to make sure that you can continue to maintain your independence. Imagine having the good fortune of being able to contribute to your adult child’s household as a regular caregiver for grandchildren while they work, rather than relying on them for your survival. Or consider the exhilaration of traveling the world soaking up new experiences. Without a solid plan in place, these choices will remain fantasies.

Solutions like PNB MetLife’s Century Plan can provide guaranteed income up to age 100 to ensure that you are able to live the life you always dreamed of after retiring from decades of work. If you are getting a late start on saving for retirement, solutions like the PNB MetLife Immediate Annuity Plan can guarantee regular income with one contribution.

Set your children up for a bright future

Equally important, when planning for the future, is considering the kind of world your child will be entering. The ever-evolving skills requirements, job prospects, and education costs (both domestically and abroad) have changed dramatically making it more difficult to ensure career stability, compared to previous generations. Plans like the PNB MetLife Mera Term Plan Plus include a child education benefit that can be purchased as an additional support to cover the cost of your child’s schooling if they have between five and 19 years before completing a graduate degree. This will ensure that your child has access to a high-quality education that allows them to secure a job soon after graduation. Other PNB MetLife Child Education Solutions offer protection for other milestones to ensure that your child is fully prepared for the future, even if you are not there to provide for them.

With all the expenses people need to manage to lead a comfortable and secure life, there is no better time than now to start planning. Looking at solutions for future financial planning may not seem like the most important priority while navigating challenging situations, but the benefit of life insurance plans is that it delivers low risk and low premium options to protect your loved ones from hardship as well as a contribution toward the future of your dreams. Talk to a financial expert for help with developing a customized insurance plan that protects your family and your future.