About this episode
In case you missed it, check out last week's episode of Your Money Guide on the Side that answers the question How Do I Manage My Own Investments? This Week...Your kid thinks money comes from your phone. Or maybe a magical debit card named Mom. Taxes? Rent? The economics of movie popcorn? Foreign concepts. This episode isn’t about turning your child into a trust fund caricature. It’s about giving them the tools, education, and compounding head start so they have choices—whether that’s taking a sabbatical, starting a business, or saying no to a job that requires a lanyard. We cover three powerful accounts that can build real wealth for your kids: Custodial Brokerage Account – Flexible, market-based investing for minors without requiring earned income. Learn how to fund it, why capital gains can be lower for them, and the pros and cons—including the day they legally take control. Custodial Roth IRA – The most misunderstood (and misused) account in personal finance. If your child has legitimate earned income, this is a way to turn summer job money into lifelong tax-free growth. I’ll walk through the IRS rules, documentation, and why the math borders on magical. 529 Plan – A tax-advantaged education savings plan that’s more flexible than you think. We’ll cover state tax deductions, changing beneficiaries, and the new $35,000 rollover option to a Roth IRA. You’ll also hear the traps to avoid (FAFSA penalties, overfunding, and the NFT-buying eighteen-year-old problem), plus how to make sure these tools become teaching moments—not just bank accounts. The goal isn’t to make them rich for the sake of it—it’s to give them freedom, flexibility, and the ability to choose their own path without being shackled to debt or bad jobs. Listen now to learn how to set your kid up for financial independence (and keep them nice about it).