Demographics
The bank of mum and dad
When family members provide a lot of practical help to each other, more money also tends to flow.
Older women are often at the heart of their family networks. Also when it’s a matter of providing financial assistance. | Image: Hillary Peralta
Many elderly parents support their offspring financially. A study in Geneva has now shown that this is in fact part of a broader dynamic of give-and-take in family networks. When family members provide a lot of practical help to each other, more money also tends to flow. It also seems that the generosity of older women is linked to their position at the heart of these networks. This data comes from a survey of almost 3,000 Swiss men and women over the age of 65.
