Free parent guides
Teach kids about money
Research-backed conversations, activities, and benchmarks — organized by age so you can find what fits right now.
How Much Allowance by Age?
Recommended weekly and monthly allowance amounts from age 3 to 17, plus frequency and chore-linking research.
Read guide →SystemsThe 50-40-10 Split
The spend/save/give ratio that actually sticks — why it beats 33-33-33, how to set it up, and what to do when your kid pushes back.
Read guide →SystemsDesigning a Chore System That Sticks
Paid vs. unpaid chores, how to price work, and the common failure modes that kill most family chore systems by week three.
Read guide →Long-termCustodial Accounts Explained
UTMA, custodial Roth IRA, and 529 plans — plain-English breakdown of what each does and when to use it.
Read guide →Real-worldHow to Teach Kids About Taxes
From sales tax at age 6 to decoding a paystub at 16 — age-by-age tax conversations that prep teens for their first paycheck.
Read guide →Pillar guideHow to Teach Kids About Money
The full age-by-age framework — what to focus on at each stage and what to skip. The umbrella guide.
Read guide →HabitsHow to Teach Kids About Saving
Goals, habits, and the save jar — building the savings instinct from age 4 to first Roth IRA at 14.
Read guide →SystemsHow to Teach Kids About Budgeting
A 5-step ladder from two-jar budgets at age 5 to first-paycheck budgets at 16.
Read guide →Long-termHow to Teach Kids About Investing
Stocks, index funds, and the custodial Roth IRA — what to introduce at each age and what to skip.
Read guide →Real-worldHow to Teach Kids About Credit
From $5 family loans at age 8 to a credit-builder card at 17 — the framework that prevents adult credit-card disasters.
Read guide →ConceptsHow to Teach Kids About Compound Interest
The most powerful financial concept in the world — and the easiest to teach a 10-year-old.
Read guide →HabitsHow to Teach Kids About Giving
The give jar is 10% of allowance and 100% of a lifetime habit. Here's how to make it real.
Read guide →HabitsHow to Teach Needs vs. Wants
The single skill that prevents most adult overspending — taught with grocery-store games and 24-hour rules.
Read guide →ConceptsHow to Teach Delayed Gratification
A 4-stage savings ladder that builds the patience muscle from "wait until Saturday" to "wait until age 65."
Read guide →SafetyHow to Teach Kids About Money Scams
The 6 scams that target kids today — and the 5-second checklist that stops them.
Read guide →ConceptsHow to Teach the Value of Money
Beyond "money doesn't grow on trees" — the six lessons that actually teach value.
Read guide →WindfallsWhat to Do With Gift Money
Birthday and holiday checks from grandparents add up. A framework for splitting, saving, and honoring the gift.
Read guide →Ages 3–5Money Talks — Ages 3 to 5
Six conversation starters and three activities for teaching preschoolers what money is and where it comes from.
Read guide →Ages 6–10Money Talks — Ages 6 to 10
Conversations that introduce savings goals, needs vs. wants, and the beginning of interest — for elementary kids.
Read guide →Ages 11–13Money Talks — Ages 11 to 13
Budgeting, compound interest, taxes, and peer pressure — the middle-school money conversations that matter most.
Read guide →Ages 14–17Money Talks — Ages 14 to 17
First paycheck, credit, investing, and college ROI — prep conversations for near-adult money decisions.
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