What if the most important financial conversation you ever have isn't with your advisor, it's with your kids?

In Episode 186 of The Liquidity Event, AJ is joined by Charlotte Geletka, CFP and author of the children's book "Battery the Bulldog and the Funny Money Tree," for a wide ranging conversation about raising financially literate kids in a world where cash is disappearing and TikTok is handing out investment advice.

Charlotte and AJ dig into when to start talking to kids about money, how to raise children who understand the value of hard work without shielding them from reality, and how to course-correct when your 8-year-old starts critiquing the star rating of hotel rooms. They also tackle the harder questions around inheritances, trust funds, and why financial literacy matters just as much at the top of the wealth ladder as it does at the bottom.

The episode wraps with a practical breakdown of 529 plans, how grandparents and family members can contribute meaningfully, and a quick-fire round covering the worst money advice parents give, the right age for a first credit card, and whether meme stocks are a teaching tool or a gateway to a gambling problem.

Topics covered:

When and how to start talking to kids about money
Raising financially grounded children in high net worth households
Allowances, chores and kid-friendly financial tools like Greenlight
Inheritances, trust funds, and spendthrift clauses
529 plans: who they work for, who they don't, and how to superfund them
Generational wealth vs. generational knowledge

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro and welcome to Charlotte Geletka
01:09 Charlotte's background, her CFP practice and the children's book
03:57 When should you start talking to kids about money? Earlier than you think
07:33 How the words adults use around money shape kids' relationship with it
09:20 How to raise kids who appreciate what they have without becoming spoiled
11:28 Chores, allowances, and giving kids real financial responsibility
16:38 Why kids are learning about money from Zillow and TikTok, whether you like it or not
19:10 Inheritances, trust funds and what happens when big money meets young adults
22:00 529 plans: AJ and Charlotte break down everything you need to know
28:01 Quick fire round: worst parent money advice, first credit cards and meme stocks

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