Relying on your parents for money can help you to become independent. But it can also create problems in your relationship if not handled well, experts say.
About two-thirds, or 64%, of parents with Gen Z children — those between the ages of 18 and 28 — say their kids still rely on them financially, whether for money, housing or other support, according to the 2026 Wells Fargo Money Study. More than half of those parents, 56%, say that support is straining their own finances. The bank surveyed 3,773 U.S. adults at the end of last year.
“Support into the mid-20s, and sometimes beyond, has become more accepted, especially when it helps a young adult finish school, manage housing costs or avoid falling behind financially,” said certified financial planner Douglas Boneparth, president and founder of Bone Fide Wealth, a wealth management firm in New York City.
But parental support should be approached “as a plan, not a lifestyle,” Boneparth said.
The support you get from your parents can come in a variety of ways, said Elena van Stee, a sociology fellow at Harvard University who focuses on parent-child relationships. Sometimes parents will split the cost of an expense, such as rent, with their child or require that their child hold a job while receiving their help. Other examples, she said, include a parent selling their car to their child or charging them rent.
