# Money transparency

**How much should we tell our child about the family's money?**

How much your child learns about family money: nothing, general values and trade-offs, the budget, or income and net worth.

In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Finances are adult business; Share values and trade-offs, not numbers; Share the budget; Share salary and net worth. Evidence: your call. No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide. Best settled: school age.

- Area: Money, chores and responsibility
- Evidence: Your call
- Best settled: School age
- First published: 2026-10-03
- Last updated: 2026-10-05
- Page: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/topics/money-chores-and-responsibility--money-transparency

## Money transparency: what are the options?

1. **Finances are adult business**: You do not discuss family money with the child.
2. **Share values and trade-offs, not numbers**: You explain what you value and the choices you make, without figures.
3. **Share the budget**: You show the child the household budget.
4. **Share salary and net worth**: You tell the child what you earn and own.

## Money transparency: what does the evidence say?

**Your call.** No outcome evidence picks a winner. Preference, culture, money and logistics decide.

Lieber suggests waiting until about 14-15 to disclose salary

Sources:

- [interview](https://melindawmoyer.substack.com/p/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-money)

## What else is worth knowing?

Families vary in how openly they discuss money with children. Some share values only; others share real figures. What you tell a child they may repeat to others.

## Questions to ask each other

- How much did we know about our families' money?
- What would we share with our child and at what age?
- What would stay private?

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General information, not medical advice. Two parents can each answer this and compare: https://www.raisingyourchild.com/explore?cat=money-chores-and-responsibility&topic=money-chores-and-responsibility--money-transparency