How to Stop Paying Your Children's Bills

Helping out your children is something that comes naturally to parents, and sometimes it becomes hard to draw the line when the subject is money. Many parents find it a difficult task to stop paying their children's bills, and continue to pay due to fear of alienation, guilt or contributing to their children's financial failure. In actuality, the opposite is true: by ceasing to pay your children's bills, you will help them to be stronger, financially mature adults that are independent and more confident in their own abilities.

Instructions

    • 1

      Make a list of all of your children's bills that you have paid in the past year, notating the reason you paid and the amount paid.

    • 2

      Request a private conference with each child, telling him that you will be sitting down with him to go over financial matters. Make sure neither of you are angry or upset at the time you meet; the idea is to resolve your adult child's need for financial aid while maintaining the parent-child relationship.

    • 3

      Help each child develop a budget so they can live within their means. Have them make a list of their income and their bills and expenditures, making a notation on the budget of the bills that you have paid in the past year.

    • 4

      Discuss which items on their budget can be reduced or eliminated. Point out items that may be considered luxuries as opposed to necessities, such as restaurant meals, cable television, Internet access and vacations as well as items such as recreational vehicles and hobbies they might have.

    • 5

      Show your children how they can balance their budget independently by matching their income with their expenses and eliminating luxuries until they can live within their means.

    • 6

      Inform them of a cutoff date when you will cease to pay their bills, and talk about the consequences they may incur if they are unable to pay their own way after that date.

    • 7

      Stand by your word, and if your children fail to pay their bills themselves allow them to face the consequences. While this may be a painful thing for you to do, in the long run it will make each child a stronger person and allow them to develop independently.

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