Posted in Triplett & Carothers on July 6, 2026

As you may know, the single most expensive cost for most people is the cost of housing, and it is rising. Many retirees on a fixed income are forced to sell their homes because it has simply become too expensive to live there. A solution that many families have happily settled on is having Mom and Dad move in with them.

Beyond the financial benefits, there are other social and emotional reasons for parents and their children to become roomies. There are also drawbacks to this living arrangement that both parties need to iron out before the moving van pulls up in the driveway. Here are the pros and cons you should be aware of when deciding if a multigenerational living situation is right for your family.

The pros:

• It is not only the parents who benefit from this arrangement; the children and grandchildren do as well. With most mothers and fathers working outside the home, there are many complex management issues of child care that need to be navigated each day. For example, who stays at home with the children when they are sick, when they are home for vacations or holidays, or when the babysitter doesn’t show up? Having babysitters on-site to watch the grandkids is the perfect solution.
• Grandparents and grandkids can bond in a way that is not possible when they live far away from one another. Visits and holidays do not have to be planned. Grandkids benefit from having another set of adults to learn from and to care for them.
• Having family around you is a major way for older folks to ward off feelings of loneliness or depression. As part of a growing family, grandparents are involved in their grandkids’ lives and fill in for parents by helping with homework, keeping doctor’s appointments, and attending sporting events or school plays and concerts. This takes the stress off the parents to fulfill family or work obligations at the same time.
• Many times, retired parents can alleviate some of their children’s financial burden by pitching in with household expenses. If there are two grandparents living in the home, one may want to continue working in their current position or find a part-time job to help contribute to the household.

The cons:

• When people live in close quarters with one another, conflicts are bound to arise. This is particularly true if there were past conflicts or bad feelings that were never resolved. Family therapists would advise not going forward with a shared household if this is the case, as it often can be when parents move in with a son- or daughter-in-law. For that reason, conversations regarding boundaries, parenting, privacy and financial contributions will need to be addressed to make this arrangement work.
• Financial problems can arise, especially if a parent contributes to buying a family home or building an addition to an existing property. The parents should receive an ownership interest spelled out in the deed equal to the amount they are contributing.

Another workable option is to have the parents move within proximity to their children and grandchildren so that they are close enough to be available when needed.

When families are not able to live together under one roof, living close by, making frequent visits or enjoying extended stays are also alternatives to explore.

Reach out to Roz Carothers and her team at Triplett & Carothers to learn more.

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