About Us

Laser Focus World is an industry bedrock—first published in 1965 and still going strong. We publish original articles about cutting-edge advances in lasers, optics, photonics, sensors, and quantum technologies, as well as test and measurement, and the shift currently underway to usher in the photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, and copackaged electronics and photonics to deliver the speed and efficiency essential for data centers of the future.

Our 80,000 qualified print subscribers—and 130,000 12-month engaged online audience—trust us to dive in and provide original journalism you won’t find elsewhere covering key emerging areas such as laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, lasers in space, integrated photonics, chipscale lasers, LiDAR, metasurfaces, high-energy laser weaponry, photonic crystals, and quantum computing/sensors/communications. We cover the innovations driving these markets.

Laser Focus World is part of Endeavor Business Media, a division of EndeavorB2B.

Laser Focus World Membership

Never miss any articles, videos, podcasts, or webinars by signing up for membership access to Laser Focus World online. You can manage your preferences all in one place—and provide our editorial team with your valued feedback.

Magazine Subscription

Can you subscribe to receive our print issue for free? Yes, you sure can!

Newsletter Subscription

A Laser Focus World newsletter subscription is free to qualified professionals:

The Daily Beam

Showcases the newest content from Laser Focus World, including photonics- and optics-based applications, components, research, and trends. (Daily)

Product Watch

The latest in products within the photonics industry. (9x per year)

Bio & Life Sciences Product Watch

The latest in products within the biophotonics industry. (4x per year)

Laser Processing Product Watch

The latest in products within the laser processing industry. (3x per year)

Get Published!

If you’d like to write an article for us, reach out with a short pitch to Sally Cole Johnson: [email protected]. We love to hear from you.

Photonics Hot List

Laser Focus World produces a video newscast that gives a peek into what’s happening in the world of photonics.

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast

Following the Photons: A Photonics Podcast dives deep into the fascinating world of photonics. Our weekly episodes feature interviews and discussions with industry and research experts, providing valuable perspectives on the issues, technologies, and trends shaping the photonics community.

Social Media

Bluesky • Facebook • Instagram • LinkedIn • YouTube

Meet the Laser Focus World Team

Editorial

Sales

Editorial Advisory Board

  • Professor Andrea M. Armani, University of Southern California
  • Ruti Ben-Shlomi, Ph.D., LightSolver
  • James Butler, Ph.D., Hamamatsu
  • Natalie Fardian-Melamed, Ph.D., Columbia University
  • Justin Sigley, Ph.D., AmeriCOM
  • Professor Birgit Stiller, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, and Leibniz University of Hannover
  • Professor Stephen Sweeney, University of Glasgow
  • Mohan Wang, Ph.D., University of Oxford
  • Professor Xuchen Wang, Harbin Engineering University
  • Professor Stefan Witte, Delft University of Technology
My Watchlist
Indicators
Industrial Laser Index
Markets
Stocks
ETFs
Tools
Markets:
Overview
News
Currencies
International
Treasuries

Financial Planning Tips for the "Sandwich Generation"

By: NewsUSA

(NewsUSA) - The "Sandwich Generation" is a term that can be used to describe many adults in their 30s through 50s who support both their children and their parents -- whether financially, physically or mentally.

These adults are often stressed out because they are pulled in two separate directions: They must provide for their (often growing) family, while also taking care of their elderly parents.

To mitigate such stress, Sandwich Generation adults can take the following steps to help manage their multiple roles without jeopardizing their own financial futures:

Set realistic goals. Instead of saying you want to be "comfortable" in retirement or that you want your children to attend "good" schools, define exactly what "comfortable" and "good" mean so you'll know what it takes to reach your goals.

Reevaluate your finances periodically. Your financial goals will change over the years with changes in your lifestyle or circumstances. Revisit and revise your financial plan (and update your estate plan) as time goes by so you stay on track to meet your long-term goals.

Plan for emergencies. Life is unpredictable, and emergencies, accidents and unforeseen events can happen. To protect your finances, plan for the worst by building up an emergency fund.

"Your emergency fund can cover unexpected medical bills, long-term hospital stays and incidental costs that can threaten to throw your budget off," said Marguerita Cheng, CFP®. "The last thing you want is financial worries when you're already stressed and anxious about medical decisions or unexpected occurrences."

Budget for childcare. According to a 2020 childcare survey from Care.com, the average weekly cost of childcare for one child is $244 for an after-school sitter, $300 for a daycare center and $612 for a nanny. Whichever option you choose, it could account for a substantial portion of your budget -- so you may want to ask your elderly parents to help take care of their grandkids.

Just as you need to plan for emergencies and education costs, Sandwich Generation adults also need to prepare for the care for their elderly parents.

Elder care is often provided by family members, as they can help with errands, finances and personal care. Some families share these responsibilities, and some decide on a trusted agent (who may or may not be a family member) to help.

"In either case, it's important to communicate as specifically as possible about the roles and responsibilities of the people caring for your elderly parents. When it's appropriate, put those agreements in writing and in legal form," said Bill Schretter, CFP®.

In addition to communicating responsibilities, Schretter identified four key areas the Sandwich Generation needs to address with aging parents:

1. Estate planning. Ensure that a family member or trusted agent has management or copies of an aging parent's estate planning documents, such as power of attorney and a living will or terminal care directive.

2. Medical care. Budget for medical expenses, and know what medications your elderly parent is taking and why.

3. Money management. Make a plan to oversee bill payments and credit card use. For instance, create a separate checking account for discretionary spending that the elderly parent can control, with limited overdraft protection.

4. Home improvement. Many older adults restructure and renovate their homes to better accommodate their needs as they age. Talk to your parents about budgeting for home renovations that they would like to make.

Opening a dialogue with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional can help Sandwich Generation adults get expert perspective on their unique challenges in managing finances across generations. Find your CFP® professional today using the Find a CFP® professional tool.

 

More News

View More
Bassett Furniture: Buy Now, Sit Back, and Collect Dividends
Via MarketBeat
Tickers BSET ETD HVT
AST SpaceMobile's Big Win: Shares Soar on New Deal With Verizon
Via MarketBeat
Tickers ASTS JOBY RGTI T VOD VZ
Catch the Next Bitcoin Rally With These 3 ETFs
Via MarketBeat
Topics ETFs
Tickers BITQ FBTC IBIT
MarketBeat Week in Review – 10/06 - 10/10
Via MarketBeat
Topics Economy
Tickers ACHR AMD AMZN AVGO CELH CRWV
3 Heavily Shorted Stocks That Could Pop on Rate Cuts
Via MarketBeat
Topics Artificial Intelligence Economy
Tickers ETSY SMR SOUN
Stock Quote API & Stock News API supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms Of Service.