Ages 18 and up
Your child is young adults.
Your child is legally an adult. The useful question changes from what you should do for them to what support actually helps.
What matters now
- Support that builds independence helps. Support that replaces it does not.
- Your own finances deserve attention again, particularly retirement.
- Clear expectations prevent most conflict about money and living arrangements.
What to do now
- Agree explicitly on what you fund and for how long.
- Redirect what you were spending on them toward your own retirement.
- Stay available as an advisor without taking decisions back.
What to start preparing for
- Moving home again, which is common and worth planning for calmly.
- Their first real financial setback.
What you don't need to worry about yet
Parenting advice rarely tells you what to ignore. At this stage, these can genuinely wait.
- Nothing you can control. This stage belongs to them.
Common decisions at this stage
- How long to keep them on insurance and phone plans
- Whether to help with rent, and on what terms
- How to handle a return home
Skills to build
- Full financial independence
- Managing their own healthcare and insurance
- Building an emergency fund