For many middle-aged families, financial stress does not come from a single large expense.
It comes from several responsibilities competing for the same income.Children’s education, parents’ healthcare, home loan repayments, insurance premiums and retirement investments often need attention at the same time.
A household may be earning well and investing regularly yet still face a cash-flow crunch when an unexpected medical bill or education expense arises.This is the financial reality of the sandwich generation, which must support both school-going children and aging parents while continuing to prepare for its own future.A Medical Emergency Exposed the Liquidity GapArpit and Megha, whose names have been changed to maintain anonymity, are both in their 40s and have two school-going children.
Their aging parents are also financially dependent on them.The couple has a combined take-home income of approximately ₹5 lakh a month.
Around ₹3 lakh goes towards fixed expenses, including their home loan EMI, household costs, school fees, insurance premiums, medicines and financial support for their parents.The remaining ₹2 lakh is invested every month in long-term assets such as equities and precious metals.
