- About 50% of parents are still financially supporting their Gen Z and millennial children, a new report reveals—and it’s setting them back nearly $1,500 monthly on average. But they’ll soon be forced to stand on their own feet as the banks of Mom and Dad are shutting down soon.
Millennials may be pushing 40 now—but their parents are still shelling out to help them stay afloat.
About 50% of parents financially support at least one of their adult children over the age of 18, according to a recent report from Savings. Working-age Gen Zers receive the most at an average of $1,813 monthly, while millennials get about $863. This spending has reached a three-year high, as inflation has put financial strain on workers of all ages.
Gen Z are getting paid handsomely by their parents because they’re early-career and have yet to establish livable income streams, the report notes, whereas millennials—aged 29 to 44—are farther along with more economic prowess.
While about 92.5% of adult Gen Zers are working full-time, a stable salary isn’t enough to keep up with the rising costs of living. Mom and Dad are stepping in, but they’ve got financial woes of their own—and they won’t be forking over cash for much longer.
How parents are supporting their Gen Z adult children
Groceries have become a luxury for young people as being able to afford the basics is getting harder. So parents are picking up the bill for their oat milk and pizza rolls.
Parents contribute a monthly average of $220 toward their adult child’s grocery expenses, according to the report. About 87% of those supporting Gen Z children give money for groceries and food; 73% spend money on their cell phone bills; and 69% contribute towards their health insurance. With skyrocketing housing prices, 66% are also stepping up to pay their Gen Z child’s rent or mortgage. And to no one’s surprise, they’re covering education as well; 57% of parents fork over money for their Gen Z adult kid’s tuition.
While parents are doing their best to protect their adult children from financial headwinds, they may be shooting themselves in the foot.
Working parents spend 2.3 times more on their adult children than on their own retirement accounts each month—shelling out $1,589 on average to the adult child, while only putting $673 into retirement savings.
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About 47% of parents say they have sacrificed their own financial security for the sake of their adult children, according to the report. Four in 10 say they’ve felt pressured to support them, even when it meant forgoing their own financial comfort. And nearly all—nine in 10—would make one or more additional wealth sacrifices to help their working-age kids.
However, parents can only be stretched so thin before the cracks start to appear. Now Gen Z and millennial adults supported by their parents are on the cusp of being left to fend for themselves.
How will Gen Z cope when the bank of Mom and Dad shuts down?
Gen Z and millennials may be enjoying a financial boost now, but give it time. Mom and Dad’s bank transfers may run dry in the short term, but young workers are positioned to come out the other side stronger.
About 37% of parents plan to stop providing financial support to their adult children within the next two years, and another 28% will freeze their aid in three to four years, according to the report. It’s noted that their primary motive is to encourage their financial independence; but as a recession looms in the U.S., the report says stopping payments before an economic downturn could be a blow to younger generations.
But Gen Z might not be sweating it. While the monthly deposits from the bank of Mom and Dad may be closing, they’re stepping into newfound wealth. The youngest working generation is set up to be the largest, and richest, generation by 2035, according to a recent report from Bank of America. In the next decade, they’ll swell to 30% of the global population—and by 2040, Gen Z will have accumulated $74 trillion in income.
This may seem contradictory to Gen Z’s current financial situation: leaning on monthly deposits from their parents and turning down career opportunities due to extraneous costs. But their salaries will jump as they continue to climb the corporate ladder, forgoing happiness for a steady income.
Plus, the “great wealth transfer” is expected to put trillions into their pockets. About $84 trillion is anticipated to pass down from seniors and baby boomers to Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z by 2045.
Are you an adult that’s still funded by the bank of Mom and Dad? Or maybe you’re a parent still financially supporting adult children. My colleague at Fortune wants to hear from you: preston.fore@fortune.com.
