Episode 79: Helping Adult Kids in 2026—Without Derailing Your Retirement

Published August 10, 2026

Helping your adult children can feel like the most natural thing in the world.
But support with housing, debt, or grandchildren’s expenses can quietly place pressure on your own retirement if there are no clear limits.

But how do you provide meaningful support without becoming the family bank or weakening your retirement plan?
In this episode of Money Monday, Darren Devine shares a practical approach to helping with housing, debt, or grandchildren’s expenses while keeping your own financial security in focus.

Helping your family and protecting your retirement are not opposing goals.
The key is to base decisions on clear numbers, thoughtful limits, and a plan that protects your future independence as well as theirs.

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Episode 19: Supporting the Sandwich Generation
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Episode 30: Talking Money with Your Adult Kids
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Episode 47: How to Spend More Time With Your Grandkids Without Worrying About Money
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Episode 32: Should You Name Your Children as Joint Owners?
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Episode 37: Leaving a Legacy—More Than Just Money
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Helping Adult Kids in 2026—Without Derailing Your Retirement

Presented by Darren Devine, CFP®, CLU®, Financial Planner, Sun Life and President of Devine and Associates Financial Services Inc.

Many parents want to help their adult kids with housing, debt, or the grandkids—but not at the cost of their own security.

Hello, and welcome to Money Monday, where we help simplify your financial journey. I'm Darren Devine, Financial Planner with Sun Life and President of Devine & Associates. For over 20 years, I’ve been helping families across Ontario plan with confidence, protect what matters most, and stay grounded through life’s financial ups and downs.

We see this all the time:
Adult kids ask for help with a down payment, a bit of credit card debt, or money for activities and extras for the grandkids. As a parent, your instinct is to say yes.

The risk? Quietly turning your retirement plan into the “family bank” without clear limits.

One simple mindset shift for 2026 is to think “ceiling, not a tap.”
Instead of sending money whenever a request comes in, decide on an annual amount you can comfortably help with—based on your own retirement plan—and stick to it.

That way, you can say:

“I can’t do all of that, but here’s what I can do this year.”

That’s not selfish. That’s being responsible—for yourself and for them.

And remember, not all help has to be a cheque:

  • You can share financial literacy—budgeting, credit, saving, and investing basics.
  • You can invite adult kids to join a planning meeting so everyone understands the big picture.
  • If you’re considering co-signing, do it only with a clear plan: how they’ll qualify on their own, and what happens if things don’t go as expected.

The goal is to support your kids and grandkids without quietly sacrificing your own independence later in life.

If you’re struggling to balance “helping now” with “being okay later,” that’s exactly the kind of conversation we walk through with families—using real numbers, not guilt.

Thanks for tuning into Money Monday. Don’t forget to like and comment for more episodes filled with tips to help make your financial journey a breeze. Until next time, I'm Darren Devine, and you can always talk to us today at DevineAndAssociates.ca!

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