A few months ago, a client who recently received a fairly unexpected sum of money asked to meet with me for counsel. He expressed that he really wanted to use it to bless his (very young) kids and asked our team for a recommendation on how to allocate the funds. What an honor to be brought into that discussion! Working with the client to understand the details of their financial life and priorities, we put together a comprehensive plan that helped achieve their goals and minimized their tax liability. In addition to the financial strategy, we shared the importance, and a few tips on how to instill this knowledge into their kids. We shared how even at a young age, helping them understand the importance of managing money will equip them with the tools they need to succeed for years to come. He was very appreciative and left the meeting planning on executing the financial and ‘values passing’ strategies.

An old, well-known proverb says, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” How might this apply to your family? If you have little kids, maybe this starts with introducing them to the ‘save some and spend some’ approach. For school age kids, a benefit could be having their own bank account and learning more about your saving habits. Older kids getting their first jobs might benefit from learning the power of saving 15% of their income for retirement, how you have saved for retirement, and the ins and outs of getting a home loan.”

Too often, parents pass their hard earned wealth to the next generation but not the values by which the wealth was earned. In addition to giving your kids gifts this Holiday Season, consider a New Year’s resolution of modeling and teaching financial discipline; giving them a gift that will last FOR THEIR LIFETIME.