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Intermediate

Gifts From Grandparents: How Should Your Kid Use Them?

Savvy grandparents know the #1 secret to holiday giving: Money is the gift everyone loves.

Tucking a few fresh bills or a generous check into that holiday card is a surefire way to make grandkids light up. However, if this year’s grandparent gift was extremely generous, you may want to talk this month with your kids about how best to use their windfalls.

Help kids plan their purchases. Guiding your kids toward smart spending choices can help stretch their gift money. For instance, if Grandma and Grandpa gave your child enough green to buy a spendy gaming system, show your kids how to watch for sales or discounts before they shop. They might end up having enough money to buy an extra game, too.

You could also require your child to write down things they want to buy, then take a two-week “cooling off” period. If your kid still wants the item when their waiting time is up — and the purchase fits in with your family’s values and rules — you can greenlight the purchase. Use money gifts to grow more green. Talk to your child about saving and investing that holiday money so it increases over time. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers a few suggestions for teaching middle-school-aged kids about the power of compound interest. The Charles Schwab Foundation also suggests opening a custodial investment account if you’d like to help your child learn more about investing.

Make savings a habit. Some parents require their kids to put a small portion (say, 10%) of money gifts into a savings account. This routine is good practice for later, when your child has an earned income. By then, they’ll be well in the habit of tucking away a set percentage of their money for emergencies or planned, bigger purchases.

Chat with grandparents about future gifts. Do your child’s grandparents regularly dole out extremely generous financial gifts? If so, it’s perfectly OK to share your thoughts (respectfully) on how that money could be used.

For instance, could Grandma give a bit less in holiday cash and invest the rest in a 529 college savings plan for your child’s benefit? A study by Upromise (the savings arm of college loan provider Sallie Mae) found that 68% of all parents prefer that grandparents add cash to their kids’ college funds instead of giving other holiday gifts. Just be sure to talk with grandparents well before next year’s holiday season about how their gift funds can best help your family.

(photo courtesy © Ben Smith cc2.0)

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