You love your kid. You also have a retirement to fund. And somewhere in the middle of those two things, you have been quietly saying yes when you probably should have said something else.

I hear some version of this almost every week.

"I want to help my kid. But I'm starting to feel anxious. Resentful. Like I'm stretched in every direction and there's nothing left for me."

If that lands for you, take a breath. Nothing has gone wrong. That feeling of tension is often where awareness starts. And awareness is where everything changes.

Supporting adult children financially is an expression of love. I truly believe that. But when that support has no shape, no limit, no clarity around it, it stops feeling like generosity and starts feeling like a slow drain. On your finances. On your peace. On your relationship with your kid.

Setting financial boundaries with your adult children is not about loving them less. It is about creating something sustainable for both of you.

Why This Is Esp...

Financial conversations can be tough to navigate in life. Whether it's discussing budgets with your spouse, talking to your children about spending habits, or helping aging parents handle their estate, these discussions require courage and tact. Managing these challenging financial conversations successfully is crucial, and it's understandable if you feel overwhelmed. Rest assured, you're not alone. Many people face similar situations and find it comforting to have guidance and support. If you're looking for help in navigating these conversations, know that there are resources available to assist you on your financial journey.

As a financial planner and mediator, I deeply understand the challenges that conversations about money can bring. We've gathered a few valuable tips along our journey that we'd love to share with you.

We're here to provide support and guidance as you navigate these important discussions. With our compassionate and empathetic approach, we aim to help you achieve...

If you have a college-bound young adult at home right now, I want to talk to you about something that probably isn't on your back-to-school checklist. It might matter more than the extra-long twin sheets.

Money.

Specifically: how to have an actual conversation about it before they walk out the door.

As a financial planner who has worked with women through some of the biggest money moments of their lives, I can tell you that the habits formed in those first years of independence tend to stick. The good ones and the not-so-good ones. And while you can't control every choice your kid makes once they're on campus, you absolutely can set them up with a foundation that will serve them for decades.

Here's how.

Start With Clarity: Know What You're Each Responsible For

The first pillar of my Intentional Money Method is Clarity, and it applies beautifully here. Before any conversation about budgets or credit cards can go well, you and your young adult need to be crystal clear about the bas...

One of the questions I hear most often from parents is some version of: "How do I get my kid to stop spending every dollar the second it lands in their hands?"

It is such a good question, and honestly, it is one I wrestle with in my own home too.

Here is what I know for certain: teaching kids to save money is not just about the dollars. It is about building the relationship with money that they will carry into adulthood. Every habit we help them form now, whether it is resisting the impulse buy or working toward a goal, is laying the foundation for the financial decisions they will face later.

And that is worth every conversation, every teachable moment, and yes, every negotiation over the toy aisle.

Why Teaching Kids to Save Is Harder Today

Let us be real: we are raising kids in the age of instant gratification. Two-day shipping. One-click purchasing. Digital wallets that make money feel invisible. The concept of waiting and saving runs completely counter to the world they are na...

No kid wants to sit down for a lecture about budgeting. And honestly, no parent really wants to give one.

But games? Games are different. When kids are playing, their guard is down. They are making decisions, dealing with consequences, navigating wins and losses, and absorbing concepts without realizing it is happening. That is exactly why I love using board games as a financial literacy tool.

I have been a financial planner for nearly two decades, and one thing I believe deeply is that the money habits and beliefs our kids develop start early. The conversations that happen around a game board, about why they ran out of money, about whether to spend or save, about what it means to owe someone else, are some of the most natural and effective financial education you can give.

These are the games we actually play in our house, along with what each one teaches.

Board Games for Teaching Kids About Money

Monopoly

The classic for a reason. Monopoly covers an impressive range of financ...

Do you wonder how to effectively teach your kids financial responsibility? The financial behaviors we impart to our children are significant in shaping their future money management skills. As a financial advisor who frequently encounters deeply ingrained money habits, I understand the importance of these early lessons and aim to share them with my own children.

Teaching kids financial responsibility starts at home. My children, although young, exhibit distinct attitudes towards money, highlighting their understanding and unique relationship with it. The core principle I wish to instill in them is that they are in control of their own financial situation. This understanding becomes particularly clear with my youngest, aged seven.

A real-life scenario unfolded recently when my 12-year-old son prepared for a camping trip with his Boy Scouts Troop. A portion of funds from the boys' fundraising activities are allocated to their scout account, teaching them the value of money. The account...

One of the most common money questions I hear from parents has nothing to do with their own finances.

It is this: should I give my kids an allowance?

And the honest answer is: it depends. Not because the question is complicated, but because the right approach for your family depends on your values, your kids' ages, and what you actually want them to learn.

Here is what I know after nearly two decades as a financial planner and as a parent of three: the allowance itself is not the point. The point is the money habits and beliefs you are building in your kids right now. Those habits will follow them into adulthood, into their careers, into their marriages, and into how they handle their own financial lives someday.

That is why I think about allowance through the lens of the first pillar of the Intentional Money Method: Clarity. Before you decide what system to use, get clear on what you actually want your kids to learn. Earning? Saving? Delayed gratification? Contribution to the fami...

Back to school used to mean a Target run for crayons and a new lunchbox.

Now it means dorm furniture, laptop upgrades, activity fees, a car on your insurance, maybe a first apartment. The list got shorter. The price tag did not.

I work with women every day who are doing the math on their own financial goals while also trying to launch their kids into the world. You want to show up for your family. You also need to protect your financial future. Both things are true at the same time.

Here are five ways to approach back to school spending at this stage of life.

1. Separate Needs From Wants Before You Open Your Wallet

Walk through the list before you buy anything.

Does your kid actually need a new laptop, or does last year's model still run fine? Do they need a full dorm refresh, or do they just want one? These are different questions with different answers.

College students especially should wait until syllabi are posted before buying supplies. You find out exactly what is require...

Your kids are watching you with money. They always have been.

Not in the formal, sit-down-and-teach-a-lesson kind of way. In the ambient, everyday kind of way. They watch how you react when an unexpected bill arrives. They notice the tension in your voice when money comes up. They absorb your beliefs about what is possible, what is safe, what people like us do with money.

Long before they ever open a bank account, your kids are building their money beliefs from what they see in you.

That is both a responsibility and an opportunity. And it does not expire when they turn 18.

If you are in midlife, you are likely parenting across a wide range of ages right now. Maybe you have teenagers at home and a college student simultaneously. Maybe your kids are already launched and you are wondering what money messages stuck and which ones you wish you had done differently. Maybe you are rebuilding your own financial foundation and you want to do it in a way that models something better than wha...