Adulthood no longer necessarily means economic independence. The image of the young man leaving the father's house, finds work and quickly autonomizes resembles a memory of another era.
Today, reality is different: more and more adults still rely on their parents to meet basic needs or take the next step in their lives.
In USA 42% of adults say they receive financial assistance by his parents, according to Northwestern Mutual's Planning & Progress Study 2026 survey.
The percentage is launched at 72% for Generation Z, over50% Millennials, While still and one in three of Generation X continues to receive financial support from the previous generation.
From cell phone to first house
Economic aid is not only about large markets.
For some it means that parents still pay the mobile phone program or private health insurance.
For others, it means renting, paying off student loans or financial contribution to buying the first residence.
Professor and economic therapist Megan McCoy argues on CNBC that public debate about this phenomenon is often unfair.
«We usually look for the bad guy. Whether it's the children who didn't grow up or the parents who spoil them. In fact, there are no bad guys. It is a pattern that gradually created and reflects the economic conditions of the time», points out.
It's not laziness – it's economic reality
The rise of rents, the launch of house prices, accuracy in everything and difficulty creating savings have completely changed the economic landscape for young people.
Financial assistance from parents often acts as a «scafosis», as McCoy describes it: a temporary support that allows the young man to build his life without collapsing under the weight of financial obligations.
But this implies that there is a clear plan and open communication, so that aid does not develop into permanent dependence.
The same is true in Europe
The phenomenon is not limited to the United States. The housing crisis and the increasing cost of living have led thousands of young Europeans to delay their economic and housing independence.
According to Eurofound, 42% of young people aged 25-29 in the European Union he still lives with his parents, and even in the 30-34 age group, one out of five remains in the parent home.
The same report points out that the crisis in the housing market is now one of the most important reasons for delaying adulthood, as many young people say they would like to live alone, but they simply cannot afford it.
What about Greece? Among the most difficult cases
Greece is one of the countries where young people stay most at home.
According to Eurofound's analysis, 72% of the young 15-29 years in Greece states that it is facing economic pressure, one of the highest rates in the European Union. According to Eurostat's latest data, 54.9% of young people aged 25-34 are still living in the home.
Greeks leave their parents' home on average at 30.7 years, one of the highest ages in the European Union.
Low wages, ejecting rents and high cost of housing purchases make economic independence extremely difficult, even for young people working.
Help must have limits
Experts point out that financial support can be extremely useful when it has a specific purpose.
Covering a master's degree, helping to buy first residence or supporting a difficult period can substantially change a young man's economic progress.
On the contrary, when economic dependence turns into a permanent state without a clear recovery plan, tensions, guilt and dependency relationships are often created for both parents and children.
The «Bank of Mom and Dad» becomes an institution
What until a few years ago was treated as temporary aid is now evolving into a key pillar of the economic survival of an entire generation.
As housing prices, rents and cost of living increase faster than wages, «Bank of Mom and Dad» It ceases to be an exception and becomes a necessary treaty for millions of young people around the world.
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