We will probably be able to cover a public university, and anything after that would be loans. |
| For a young teen I would save it for college and adulthood unless you weren’t going to help them pay for things like a car or college. Otherwise it is really helping you not them. This could someday help them buy a place to live. |
| I would invest it and save it for their first down payment. DH and I will be paying for car and college. |
| Start a habit of maximizing retirement savings every year. All of it should go to retirement. |
| Put it all in 529 |
| We received $25k for each a few years ago - older teens. We told them we were putting it away for them - plan is for grad school at this point, and, they'll be some leftover, because it's been invested |
+ maybe a laptop looking ahead to college then invest the rest. |
| Put the money in savings. Can't believe the people saying spend it on a car. What about all the kids who go to colleges two years later where you can't bring cars? And every kid I know in high school who had access to more money for a car, just bought a way more expensive car. Like, if one friend worked a crappy job for a couple years and saved $5000, they got a used $5000 car. But my other friend who worked for years waiting table and made $25k bought a $25k new car. Waste of money because 8 years later, both of them just had....cars. Not a good use of money, and at that age a kid needs to be steered to the right financial decision. |
| I would have them put it into high-interest bearing account for college expenses. |
I just had to check and see if this post was from 4 years ago. |
| The thing is, it’s their money they can do what they want with it. |
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Invest it. That is the only answer.
Spending a windfall on a depreciating asset like a car is about the worst financial lesson you could give your teen. This is how people stay poor. |
| Whole thing into a Vanguard Index Fund. Teach your child the rule of 7. |
Exactly. I was the person above who also said that a car is the worst idea. Terrible financial advice, and giving your teen bad financial guidance. |
Looking at all the money people waste on cars in this area, it’s not at all surprising. |