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Quick answer: There is no standard or required allowance for any age. One illustrative way to calculate a starting example is $0.50–$1 per year of age each week: $5–$10 weekly for a 10-year-old. These are example amounts, not a survey average or a recommendation. Choose what fits your budget and agree on what the money covers.
Allowance chart by age: weekly examples for kids and teens
| Age | Weekly example (USD) | Four weekly payments |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | $2.50–$5 | $10–$20 |
| 6 | $3–$6 | $12–$24 |
| 7 | $3.50–$7 | $14–$28 |
| 8 | $4–$8 | $16–$32 |
| 9 | $4.50–$9 | $18–$36 |
| 10 | $5–$10 | $20–$40 |
| 11 | $5.50–$11 | $22–$44 |
| 12 | $6–$12 | $24–$48 |
| 13 | $6.50–$13 | $26–$52 |
| 14 | $7–$14 | $28–$56 |
| 15 | $7.50–$15 | $30–$60 |
| 16 | $8–$16 | $32–$64 |
| 17 | $8.50–$17 | $34–$68 |
These US-dollar figures apply the same example formula at each age. They are not 2026 averages, minimum amounts, or a guide to what children need. A lower amount, a different currency, or no regular allowance may fit your family.
The last column is four weekly payments, not a calendar month. For a year-round monthly equivalent, multiply the weekly amount by 52 and divide by 12; $5 weekly is about $21.67 monthly. Pick a schedule you can keep and write it down.
How much allowance for a teenager?
Use the teen rows as arithmetic examples, then list the expenses the teenager will actually manage. Small discretionary purchases are different from transport, clothing, or a phone bill. Decide together what the allowance covers and keep essential needs clear. An age formula does not tell you what your household can afford or which responsibilities to hand over.
Choose an amount that fits your family
Start with three questions: what can the household afford, what optional purchases will the child handle, and how often will you pay? Age is a convenient way to calculate an example; it does not set the cost of the responsibilities you are handing over.
Here is a made-up budget: a child wants $3 for small weekly purchases and $2 to save toward a $12 craft kit. A $5 weekly allowance covers both, with six weeks of saving for the kit. If $5 is too much for your household, choose a smaller purchase or a longer saving period together.
What do average allowance figures tell you?
Check the date, country, sample, and definition before using an average. A financial app's customer data may combine allowance, paid jobs, and gifts, so it does not automatically represent every household.
For example, GoHenry's allowance-by-age article was published in 2023 and labels its table as 2021 US figures. Those historical figures should not be presented as today's average. This guide uses a transparent example formula instead.
Make payday a short money conversation
The CFPB's Money as You Grow resources offer activities around earning, saving, planning, and spending. Use payday to discuss one decision: what your child wants now, what they are saving for, and what happened to last week's money.
A simple example for $5 is $3 available to spend and $2 saved for a chosen goal. Giving can be another category if your family chooses it. No particular split is compulsory. Let your child see the balance in a jar, a notebook, or another tool they understand.
If the money runs out early, review the plan together. Distinguish a discretionary purchase that can wait from food, school needs, or another essential you remain responsible for. Treat a budgeting mistake as a chance to review the plan, not as a character flaw.
Should allowance depend on chores?
Decide this separately from the amount. An allowance can be a regular learning budget, payment for agreed extra jobs, or a combination. Write down which everyday contributions are simply part of living together and which extras can earn money.
Read the different ways to connect chores and allowance before choosing. For jobs themselves, use age-appropriate chore examples or teen responsibilities. Agree on any extra-job payment before it starts.
A simple allowance agreement
- Amount and day: write the amount, currency, and weekly or monthly payday.
- What it covers: name the optional purchases your child will handle.
- What stays with parents: name necessities and larger purchases you still provide.
- Extra jobs: agree on the job and amount before it starts.
- Review date: check whether the plan fits after a few paydays.
Use stars when a cash allowance does not fit
Star Chart lets children earn virtual stars and request parent-created real-life rewards. Parents set the prices and can require approval. Stars are not cash or a bank balance, and Star Chart does not transfer an allowance. You can start with free reward ideas instead.
Compare the options in our rewards and motivation hub.
Frequently asked questions
How much allowance should a teenager get?
There is no standard teen rate. In this guide's illustrative formula, ages 13–17 work out to $6.50–$17 weekly. Adjust for your household budget, currency, and the optional purchases the teen will manage; these figures are not an average or recommendation.
When should a child start getting an allowance?
Start when an allowance fits your budget and your child can take part in simple spending and saving choices with help. There is no deadline. You can also practise money decisions during everyday shopping.
Should I pay allowance weekly or monthly?
Choose a schedule your child can understand and you can maintain. Weekly payments create shorter planning periods. If you switch to monthly, explain the new period and calculate the amount rather than assuming every month is four weeks.
Does Star Chart send real money?
No. Star Chart tracks virtual stars and parent-defined rewards. A parent handles any real-world payment separately; the app does not provide a bank account, debit card, or money transfer.
Sources and further reading
- Money as You Grow (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
- The average allowance by age for kids & teenagers (2021 data) (GoHenry, published January 2023)