This week I’m talking about inter-generational finances and how to approach and discuss money amongst family. I must say this one ended up feeling a lot more introspective for me then I thought it would!
How families talk about money was a foundational part of why I wanted to become a financial planner. Money was a big topic of conversation growing up, and there was a lot of stress around that conversation. Some of my earliest memories are of my parents talking to me about money, and mostly about how we didn’t have enough. Not just in regards to what I couldn’t have, because kids want endlessly, but about the deeper struggles with money we faced as a family.
My father believed in being very transparent about their situation, money had been a taboo topic when he had grown up. He thought it best to share their struggles with me, whether or not that was a good decision I don’t know. Either way I learned pretty quickly that money was an issue.
When I decided to go back to school I had a pretty specific purpose in mind. I’d played around with investing, and had discovered a bit of a passion for talking about financial topics. So I studied finance with a goal of becoming someone who would help people deal with their money. My goal was to make it so no kid would have to grow up like I did with those very adult concerns on their shoulders.
These were a lot of the thoughts I had as I finished this up today, and I thought I’d share them because I think why we do things is important. I worried a lot about money as a kid, but if I can help people find solutions to their issues, and make a better future for them and their families, then I’ll have made a difference.