How I’m Setting Up Generation Alpha for Financial Success

A financial advisor recommends talking about money early & often

Generation Alpha–born from the early 2010s to the mid-2020s–will be the largest and most connected generation in history. Plus, their economic footprint is expected to wield as much spending power as Millennials and Gen Z combined, by the year 2029. April is financial literacy month, making now the perfect time to think about clients who are the parents of this generation and how they can jumpstart their children’s understanding of money.

As a Gen Y parent of a 6- and 8-year-old, I can attest to the vastly different technology and economic landscape this generation is growing up in; iPads at home, laptops in classrooms starting in kindergarten, and general digital connectivity from birth. While they have the tech smarts, they still need the basics of good money smarts. For clients who are parents and families of Generation Alpha, I tell them to embrace technology and other tactics to help connect with the younger generation as they embark on their financial literacy journey.

Key Takeaways

• Generational Alpha will be the largest and most connected generation ever and will have more spending power than Millennials and Gen Z combined.
• I counsel my clients who are parents and guardians of this generation, to start building financial smarts from a young age.
• One way to engage this generation is to embrace the tools and technology they can use to learn good financial habits.

What I’m Telling My Clients

Talk About Money Early and Often

In his book The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money, Ron Lieber implores parents to refrain from avoiding or lying in response to children’s questions about money.

He encourages parents to respond with curiosity and a question of their own, and so do I. For instance, you can respond with, “Why do you ask?” This response allows parents to get to the root reason behind the question, whether it’s the result of playground talk or based on a fear. Encouraging communication fosters critical thinking skills, establishes money as a safe topic, and reinforces that parents are available resources for financial education. 

Leverage the Three Jars Approach

The three jars approach provides a practical visual aid in teaching saving, spending, and sharing to young children. When children are given funds or an allowance, they allocate 50% into the spend jar, 25% into the saving jar, and the remaining 25% into the share jar. The rules are customizable, but in general, the spend jar is available for immediate use, and the savings jar is matched with interest. 

For example, in our house, we match $5 for every $20 that is saved over a month. The final jar, the share jar encourages philanthropy and generosity by allowing children to contribute to causes they care about, like buying pajamas for foster kids or donating to a local animal shelter.

Embrace Technology & Financial Literacy Resources

Gen Alpha will eventually grow out of piggy banks. When they do, using a banking app like Greenlight, which provides savings accounts and debit card access for parents and children gives practical experience with managing money. In addition, nonprofits such as Junior Achievement can help teach kids about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness, complementing family efforts to educate Gen Alpha about financial responsibility. 

The Bottom Line

For parents and guardians of Generation Alpha, now is the time to create a strong foundation of financial habits and understanding to ensure this hyper-connected group of young people with enormous economic potential begins their financial journey on the right footing. I’m helping my clients to do just that by providing a little encouragement, a list of helpful resources, and a few easy tactics to follow.

Read the original article on Investopedia.