Open Enrollment for Empty Nesters and Caregivers: A Benefits Expert's Guide to Putting You First

For years, every open enrollment decision ran through one question: what do the kids need? Then one day the youngest gets a job with benefits, and the question flips. What do you need?

Here's the fast answer: in the empty nest and caregiving years, re-center your benefits on your own health and retirement, decide whether adult kids stay on your plan until 26, tell HR if you're caring for a parent, update your beneficiaries and estate documents, and look for caregiving help like a dependent care FSA or backup adult care.

To talk through this stage, we sat down with Cassi Benavides, founder of Nest & Navigate, where she gives families white-glove, one-on-one guidance as their personal benefits advisor. Cassi has spent 13 years in HR and benefits management, helping employees through every stage from a first baby to caring for aging parents. Prefer to watch? Here's Cassi's empty nester and caregiver breakdown, or catch the full conversation on YouTube.

Your 30-second cheat sheet for empty nesters and caregivers

For you

• Retirement and health goals move back to the top.
• Your HSA becomes a long-term savings tool.

For your kids

• Coverage until 26 on your plan, if you want it.
• Beneficiaries updated now that kids are adults.

For your parents

• Tell HR you're caregiving.
• Check your dependent care FSA and backup care for adult relatives.
• Use a legal plan to finish your estate documents.

TL;DR: This stage is about you, your adult kids' coverage and any parents you're caring for.

How do you refocus your benefits on yourself?

"Now's just the time to level set and think about you again."

That's Cassi's advice once the kids are launched. Make sure your retirement contributions are on track, and pick a medical plan for your own health needs, not a family's.

If you have a high-deductible plan, your HSA can do double duty. Unused money never expires and can be invested, which is why planners treat it as a retirement account. You can even pay for care out of pocket now and reimburse yourself from your HSA years later. Caeli pairs each itemized receipt with any LMN in one record, so the paperwork is ready whenever you reimburse yourself.

TL;DR: Pick a plan for your own needs, and let your HSA grow as a retirement account.

Should your adult kids stay on your health plan?

They can stay until they turn 26, even if they have a job. Cassi sees families go both ways. Some move kids to their own employer's plan as soon as they're working, so they learn how insurance works. Others keep them on until 26 to help with costs.

When a child does age out, it's a life event that opens their own enrollment window. They can enroll in Marketplace coverage within 60 days of aging off your plan, so help them plan ahead.

TL;DR: Adult kids can stay on your plan until 26, and aging out opens a 60-day Marketplace window.

Should you tell HR you're caring for a parent?

Yes. Many of us are raising kids and caring for parents at the same time, and you may qualify for benefits you'd never think to ask about. HR can't give personal advice, but Cassi says they can answer a pointed question.

"If you ask a really pointed question, I am caregiving for my parents, what are the company benefits that I need to be aware of? They can absolutely answer that."

Two to ask about:

• A dependent care FSA: it can cover care for an adult who can't care for themselves, if they meet IRS rules, including living with you for more than half the year.
• Backup care: some programs include adult and elder care, at your home or theirs.

TL;DR: Tell HR you're caregiving and ask about dependent care FSA eligibility and backup adult care.

When should you update your beneficiaries?

Now, and after any big change. Cassi's reminder: if you get divorced, check whether your ex is still listed. And if you have grandchildren or younger children, don't name anyone under 18 directly. Insurers generally can't pay a minor, which can mean court involvement and a delayed payout. Read our guide to naming a child as a beneficiary.

Check your HSA's beneficiary too. It's easy to forget that it has one.

TL;DR: Review every beneficiary after a divorce or new grandchild, including the one on your HSA.

What's the cheapest way to finish your estate plan?

A group legal plan, if your employer offers one. You pay a monthly premium through payroll, and covered matters with a network attorney, like wills and estate planning, come with no copays or deductibles. Cassi calls it the cheapest way to get a full will, trust or estate plan.

Her hack: enroll for a year, get your documents done or updated, then cancel until the next update.

TL;DR: Use a group legal plan for a year to finish or refresh your estate documents.

Caeli Pro-Tip: Planning to let your HSA grow and reimburse yourself later? That only works if you can prove what you bought. Install Caeli and every eligible purchase gets flagged at checkout, with itemized receipts paired with any LMN in one record, ready for the day you reimburse yourself. Install Caeli and keep your HSA paperwork organized for decades.

Frequently asked questions

Can my adult child stay on my health insurance after getting a job?

Yes. Children can stay on a parent's employer plan until age 26, even if they have their own job.

What happens when my child turns 26 and loses coverage?

Aging out is a qualifying life event. They can enroll in Marketplace coverage within 60 days, or join their own employer's plan.

Can I use a dependent care FSA to pay for an aging parent's adult daycare?

Possibly. The parent must be unable to care for themselves, live with you for more than half the year and meet the IRS dependent rules.

Does backup care cover elder care in 2027?

Some programs do, at your home or theirs. Check your employer's backup care details.

Is a group legal plan worth it for a will or trust?

Often, yes. Covered matters with a network attorney typically have no copays or deductibles, and you can enroll just for the year you need it.

Does my HSA need a beneficiary?

Yes. Check your HSA provider's portal and name one, just like you would for life insurance or a 401(k).

The bottom line

You spent years building your benefits around everyone else. This stage is your chance to make them work for you, while making sure your adult kids and aging parents are covered too. Want help planning it? Book a free consultation with Cassi, or read our full guide to choosing a health plan for your life stage.

This article is for education only and isn't tax, legal or financial advice. Plan rules vary by employer and state.