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Teenagers and young adults

Teens and young adults generally start to earn money and make decisions on their own. Adult supervision, guidance, and feedback can help them navigate successfully.

Has your teenager set a goal, looked up missing facts, and followed through to reach it?

At this age, independent decision-making is a money milestone that you can watch for and help your child reach. 

See more about the skills, habits, and attitudes your child is working on in the teen years

See tips for talking with your young child, preteen, or teenager about their money feelings, thoughts, and choices.

Money ideas to talk about and try out with your child

Earning

Say: You can earn money through an allowance or by doing jobs for the family or others.

Saving

Say: You can start a habit of putting money aside for things you want.

Planning

Say: You need to make choices about how to spend your money.

Shopping

Say: Try shopping around and comparing prices and features before you buy

Borrowing

Say: Taking out a loan means you pay back what you borrow, plus more—because of charges called interest.

Protecting

Say: You need to keep important personal information private.