There is no universally right allowance. A flexible U.S.-dollar rule of thumb is $1 per year of a child’s age per week, but it is only a starting point—not a national standard. Choose an amount your family can afford, decide what the child is expected to buy, and consider whether they are ready to make spending and saving choices. Canada’s Financial Consumer Agency puts the teaching goal first: “How much you give is less important than the goal.”
For one concrete reference, Greenlight reports average weekly allowances from accounts used by children and teens in 2025. Its figures are U.S. dollars and describe Greenlight users, not all U.S. families or recommended amounts.
Allowance by age: Greenlight’s 2025 weekly averages
The figures below are Greenlight account data for 2025, in U.S. dollars. They can help families compare amounts by age, but they are not a national norm. The overall average for children ages 5–19 in Greenlight-using families was $13.15 per week.
| Child’s age | Greenlight weekly average (U.S. dollars, 2025) |
|---|---|
| 5 | $6.18 |
| 6 | $6.44 |
| 7 | $6.79 |
| 8 | $7.22 |
| 9 | $7.86 |
| 10 | $8.53 |
| 11 | $9.35 |
| 12 | $10.37 |
| 13 | $11.59 |
| 14 | $13.13 |
| 15 | $15.26 |
| 16 | $17.89 |
| 17 | $21.47 |
For a 10-year-old, $8.53 a week is the Greenlight-user average reported for 2025—not a target every family should match. Greenlight’s averages rise from about $6 weekly at ages 5–7 to about $9 at ages 9–11, roughly $10–$13 at ages 12–14, and around $15–$21 at ages 15–17.
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Source: Greenlight’s 2025 average allowance data.
Why allowance averages differ
Published figures describe different groups and methods, so they should not be combined into a single “normal” amount. In a Wells Fargo/Ipsos online survey, 71% of U.S. parents with children ages 5–17 said they gave an allowance; among allowance-giving parents, the reported average was $37 per week. The survey included 1,587 U.S. parents aged 18 or older with at least one child ages 5–17 at home, and Ipsos collected responses in English from April 28 to May 8, 2025. That $37 figure covers a broad age range and is not an age-specific recommendation.
Greenlight’s $13.15 weekly average covers children ages 5–19 in families using its service. Kids’ Money publishes respondent-based figures, including $7.18 for age 10 and $9.52 for age 13, but the page does not clearly state field dates or one sample frame. Because these sources cover different populations and collection methods—and do not establish the same definition of what allowance pays for—comparing them does not identify a correct amount for an individual child.
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Sources: Wells Fargo/Ipsos, 2025; Greenlight, 2025 data; Kids’ Money allowance survey statistics.
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Many children are ready to begin around kindergarten or first grade, ages 5–6, when they can understand simple choices about saving and spending. That is a common starting suggestion, not a developmental rule. Canada’s Financial Consumer Agency does not prescribe a starting age; it advises choosing an age-appropriate amount and starting small.
U.S. Bank offers these suggested learning milestones. They are guidance, not official age standards:
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- Ages 3–5: recognize coins and practice counting.
- Ages 5–7: learn basic saving and spending choices.
- Ages 8–10: practice budgeting and setting goals.
- Ages 11–13: plan ahead and save for longer-term goals.
- Ages 14 and older: build independence, potentially managing amounts tied to real expenses.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes youth financial capability in terms of executive function, financial habits and norms, and financial knowledge and decision-making skills. Its assessment resources address elementary, middle, and high school grades; they do not prescribe allowance amounts by age.
Sources: U.S. Bank’s allowance guidance; Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, “Teaching children about money”; CFPB, “Assess the Building Blocks”.
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Set the amount around your family’s budget and expectations
Before settling on a number, decide what allowance is meant to teach and what it needs to cover. An amount for occasional toys or games is different from money intended to pay for hobbies or regular expenses. If an older teen will take on real costs, spell out which costs are included before changing the amount. Canada’s Financial Consumer Agency recommends deciding which expenses children may cover; the amount or payment frequency can increase as they get older.
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- Start with what your budget can sustain. A smaller regular amount can provide practice without straining household finances.
- Match the amount to the responsibility. If the child must pay for specific purchases, account for their likely cost and how often they occur.
- Adjust as readiness changes. Increase responsibility when the child can plan, keep track of money, and learn from choices—not simply because a birthday has passed.
Decide whether allowance is connected to chores
There is no single required model in the guidance reviewed here. U.S. Bank describes three common approaches: unconditional allowance, payment for chores, and a hybrid. Canada’s Financial Consumer Agency also notes that older children may earn money through chores or part-time work.
- Unconditional: provide a regular amount to practice budgeting, without tying it to tasks.
- Chore-based: connect payment to agreed work. Define the tasks and payment beforehand.
- Hybrid: provide a regular base amount and offer additional earning opportunities for extra tasks.
Whichever approach you choose, say in advance whether everyday family responsibilities are paid or expected as part of living together. Clear rules reduce disputes about what the allowance is for.
Sources: U.S. Bank; Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.
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Choose a payment schedule and method
A predictable schedule gives children repeated chances to plan between payments. Weekly payments can suit younger children who are learning to wait and budget over a short period; families may choose to pay less often or increase payment frequency as a child grows. Agree on the schedule and what happens if a payment date falls on a holiday or a task is missed.
In the Wells Fargo/Ipsos 2025 survey, among parents who provided weekly allowance, 73% reported using cash, 24% peer-to-peer payments, 20% direct deposit, and 14% a prepaid debit card. These reported methods are not safety rankings or recommendations, and the percentages are not mutually exclusive.
Source: Wells Fargo/Ipsos, 2025.
Make saving visible and give spending choices room to teach
Help the child choose a savings goal and decide how much of each payment to set aside. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada suggests options such as matching a child’s savings, using an interest-paying savings account, and letting the child make deposits. For younger children, labeled jars or containers can make different goals concrete; an older child may prefer a chart or account record.
U.S. Bank suggests that parents avoid automatically replacing money a child spends before the next allowance, so the child experiences the result of that choice. Treat this as one teaching approach, not a universal rule: the consequences should be age-appropriate, and essential needs should not depend on a child’s budgeting practice. A jar, chart, or homemade tracker can help, but no special product is necessary.
Sources: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada; U.S. Bank.
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