If you’re part of the Sandwich Generation, you’re likely managing your own financial goals while supporting ageing parents and helping adult children find their feet. From covering education costs to helping with home deposits, many our clients tell us they feel pulled in multiple directions—especially when it comes to sharing wealth with adult children.
But here’s the thing: supporting your kids financially—whether now or through your estate—doesn’t have to mean handing over money and hoping for the best. It can, and should, be a guided process that includes building financial capability, instilling confidence, and ensuring your intentions are respected long after you’re gone.
Why It’s Time to Involve Your Children in Financial Conversations
Too often, families avoid discussing finances until something forces the issue. However involving your adult children early can ease future transitions, help preserve family wealth, and strengthen family bonds.
From our experience at Stratus, many parents hesitate to include their children in financial matters because they worry about spending habits, lack of experience, or the emotional weight of estate planning. But as Angela recently shared in a client meeting, clients often give money to adult children with no structure—and sometimes regret how it’s spent.
By bringing your children into the conversation early, you give them a chance to learn, grow, and take responsibility, while you’re still here to offer guidance. That’s not just good planning—it’s a gift of peace of mind.
Start with Financial Education and Real Conversations
You don’t have to start with spreadsheets and super balances. Start with simple, honest conversations. Here are some practical ways to bring adult children into your financial planning journey:
1. Share the ‘Why’ Behind Your Plans
Let them know why you’re saving, what you’re planning for, and how you want to support them—whether it’s helping with a first home, contributing to super, or leaving an inheritance.
2. Building Financial Awareness and Long-Term Thinking
Even financially independent adult children may not fully understand the power of compounding, superannuation, or investment strategy. These aren’t lessons learned overnight. They’re developed with exposure and experience—and you can provide both.
3. Give Financial Responsibility in Stages
Some families introduce financial responsibility gradually—for example:
- Matching personal savings to help children build investment portfolios.
- Allowing involvement in small family trust decisions while maintaining control.
- Providing a modest lump sum to manage independently, with guidance.
This approach allows your children to learn how to manage money while still being supported. It turns a financial gift into an opportunity for growth and confidence.
Guided Giving: Turning Generosity into Long-Term Impact
Many of our clients want to help their children now, especially with cost-of-living pressures and housing affordability challenges. The key is doing so in a way that’s structured, tax-aware, and aligned with long-term goals.
Here are a few ideas worth discussing with your adviser:
- Gifting into Super: Contributions into superannuation accounts for your children can provide tax benefits and encourage long-term saving.
- Education around investment structures: Helping children understand the difference between shares, property, and alternative assets empowers them to make informed decisions.
- Documenting informal loans or contributions: This protects your intentions and ensures clarity if relationships or circumstances change.
Giving isn’t just about the money—it’s about what you’re teaching and the values you’re reinforcing along the way.
Generational Wealth Transfer: Why Planning Ahead Matters
Whether you’re actively supporting your children now or planning to pass on wealth later, a structured generational wealth plan is critical. These conversations aren’t always easy, but they’re essential.
Here’s what thoughtful planning provides:
- Financial literacy: Giving your children knowledge and context ensures they can manage wealth responsibly.
- Fewer surprises: When your wishes are clearly communicated, they’re more likely to be honoured—and less likely to cause conflict.
- Efficiency: With the right legal, accounting, and financial structures in place, your wealth can be transferred smoothly, minimising tax and delays.
- Emotional readiness: Having these conversations early helps reduce the stress and confusion that can arise in moments of grief or urgency.
Think of it like this: when your children were young, you didn’t let them cross the road without guidance. Don’t let them walk into complex financial situations—especially during a crisis—without it either.
Planning Together for a Stronger Future
Including your adult children in financial planning isn’t just a practical step—it’s a relational one. It helps build trust, clarity, and capability across generations. And as a parent, you can take comfort in knowing you’re preparing your children not just to receive wealth—but to manage it wisely.
At Stratus Financial Group, we work with families every day to navigate these conversations and build intergenerational financial strategies that work—for today and tomorrow.
📞 Speak to your Stratus adviser to start the conversation about your family’s financial future.
📩 Know someone who’s navigating these conversations with their adult children? Share this article with them. One conversation today could change everything.
Stratus Financial Group and its advisers are Authorised Representatives of Fortnum Private Wealth Ltd ABN 54 139 889 535 AFSL 357306. This is general advice only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs, so you should consider whether the advice is relevant to your circumstances. Read the relevant Product Disclosure Statements (PDS) before making any financial decisions.