Kids Are Off the Payroll: Money Moves for Empty Nesters with Lena Nebel | Ep 54

What should you do with extra money after your kids move out? On Real Money, Real Life®, Linda Grizely and Lena Nebel look at the financial decisions empty nesters face when the money, time, and energy once centered around their kids finally begin to shift. The answer is not simply to save everything or finally spend everything. It starts with deciding what you want this next chapter to look like, then giving the extra cash flow a purpose. Are you trying to catch up for retirement? Pay down debt? Travel more? Change careers? Or finally make yourself part of the financial plan again? Linda and Lena walk through financial planning for empty nesters, including employer benefits, retirement savings, helping adult children, caring for aging parents, downsizing, lifestyle changes, and the emotions that can make these decisions harder than expected. Real Money, Real Life® is about the part of personal finance that happens outside the spreadsheet. Becoming an empty nester can create more freedom, but it can also bring uncertainty. Linda Grizely and Lena show why this stage is a chance to pause, think about your future self, and make intentional choices about the life you are building now. 💡 We talk about: Deciding what to do with extra cash flow after the kids leave home Catching up for retirement without assuming you are already behind Setting financial boundaries with adult children Planning what you want your next five years to look like ⏱ Timestamps (00:00) What changes financially when the kids leave home (02:26) Why Lena started focusing on empty nesters (03:46) What empty nesters should think about next (05:34) Why extra cash flow can create new money decisions (08:38) Planning for the empty nest before it happens (10:26) The emotional side of becoming an empty nester (11:50) How to decide whether to save, spend, invest, or pay debt (14:20) What "I'm behind for retirement" really means (17:06) When adult children are not fully off the payroll (17:43) Helping aging parents while planning for yourself (18:52) Why employer matching is part of your compensation (20:26) Why relying on bonuses can complicate retirement planning (21:40) Giving yourself permission to enjoy the money (23:45) What do you want the next five years to look like? (25:27) Letting go of financial expectations as a parent (26:32) Do you really need to be debt-free before retirement? (27:13) Who Lena and BFG Financial Advisors work with (28:43) Where to find Lena and her financial resources 🔗 Connect with Lena Website: https://www.bfgfa.com LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lenanebel Resources: https://courses.bfguniversity.com/ 🔗 Connect with Linda Website: https://www.LindaGriz.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindagrizely Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelindagrizely LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-grizely YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LindaGrizely TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lindagrizely Resources: https://www.lindagriz.com/resources ℹ️ Disclosures Real Money, Real Life® is hosted & produced by Linda Grizely Ventures, LLC. Linda Grizely, CFP®, is an Investment Adviser Representative of Nectarine Financial, Inc., an SEC-registered investment adviser. Linda Grizely Ventures, LLC is separate from & unaffiliated w/ Nectarine. The views expressed on this podcast are those of the individuals expressing them & do not necessarily reflect the views of Linda Grizely, Linda Grizely Ventures, LLC, or Nectarine. Guests may express opinions or discuss strategies that are their own & should not be considered recommendations or personalized advice. This podcast is provided for informational, educational, & entertainment purposes only & should not be construed as personalized investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any securities or financial products. Listeners should consult their own financial, legal, or tax professionals regarding their specific situation. For additional disclosures, please visit: https://hellonectarine.com & https://www.lindagriz.com/disclaimers