The growing impact of Australia’s evolving ‘grandparent economy’
As baby boomers age, they’re being increasingly relied upon to assist younger generations financially — and it’s not about helping out with the babysitting
2 min
Baby boomers make up just 21 percent of the population but hold almost half of the nation’s private wealth, creating a ‘grandparent economy’. McCrindle Research said the trend indicated it would have a significant influence in today’s society and directly contribute to the financial wellbeing of younger generations.
The impact of baby boomer wealth is routinely seen in the property market, with boomers often observed at auctions standing side-by-side with their younger relatives as they bid for a potential new home. The Bank of Mum and Dad is likely a significant contributor to above-average first-homebuyer activity in a market with rising values and interest rates at their highest point in 13 years.
CoreLogic recently cited figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showing first home buyers comprise 28.7 percent of new owner-occupier finance, well above the decade average of 24.6 percent. One might assume that over the year to May 31, when the median national home value rose 8.3 percent and the official interest rate went another 0.5 percent higher, first home buyers’ budgets and borrowing capacity may have been squeezed. Instead, the value of their loans rose by 10.1 percent.
McCrindle says: “Baby Boomers … are having significant impacts in the economic landscape, showcasing their pivotal role in wealth transfers as they actively contribute to and shape the financial dynamics over the years ahead. Over the next two decades, we anticipate that $6.2 trillion of wealth will be transferred to younger generations. As a result, the grandparent economy is rising, facilitating wealth and contributing to the financial wellbeing of younger generations.”
In a survey published last year, McCrindle found grandparents were acutely aware of their younger relatives’ financial challenges. When asked about their greatest concerns for them, 77 percent cited the rising cost of living and 72 percent nominated the rising cost of buying a home. These concerns are influencing baby boomers’ own financial decisions, with 32 percent intending to pass on more than 50 percent of their wealth directly to their grandchildren.
A recent report published by Colonial First State found three in four Australians plan to set aside a portion of their superannuation to pass on as an inheritance. Another survey by financial advisory company Findex found providing for relatives was a key motivator for 29 percent of investors.
McCrindle says: “As the current generation of grandparents continue to live longer and remain active well into their later years, their investments in properties and superannuation funds become pivotal components of the broader economic landscape. This trend signifies a notable shift in the traditional roles of grandparents, who are now not just recipients of support but active participants and contributors to the evolving economic dynamics, embodying the essence of the new investor in the financial landscape in the years to come.”
McCrindle Research shows two in five young Australians have received assistance from their grandparents. Most of that help is financial, including inheritances, living with them rent free, or paying cheap board, and getting help with everyday bills.
From elevated skincare to handcrafted home pieces, this year’s most thoughtful gifts go beyond the expected.
A haven for hedge-fund titans and Hollywood grandees, Greenwich is one of the world’s most expensive residential enclaves, where eye-watering prices meet unapologetic grandeur.
The 7,145-square-foot apartment, with European-inspired interiors, hasn’t traded hands since it was built in 2008.
< 1 min
A Denver condo that hit the market earlier this week for $16 million is now the Mile High City’s most expensive listing.
The new listing by far beats the next-priciest home for sale, a condo in a new development that was put on the market at the beginning of the year for about $9.79 million.
The city’s most expensive single-family home is asking just shy of $9 million—the metro area’s priciest single-family homes tend to be in the Cherry Hills Village suburb.
At 7,145 square feet, the newly listed unit is nearly double the size of the one in the new development and more on par with the size of some of Denver’s most expensive single-family homes.
It’s on the top floor of a seven-story mixed-use building that was built in 2008 in the Cherry Creek neighbourhood, one of the most affluent areas of the city.
The last time the three-bedroom apartment sold was before it was even completed, though it’s been owned under a few different LLCs and trusts.
The seller, who Mansion Global wasn’t able to identify, bought the condo from the developer in September 2007 for $4.047 million, records show.
The design of the interiors is European-inspired, with decorative columns, elaborate millwork and ornate built-ins.
Plus, there’s a mahogany-clad study, a formal dining room that seats up to 30 guests and views of mountains and Denver Country Club’s golf course.
A private terrace adds 1,230 square feet of outdoor living space and features a fireplace and a built-in barbecue, according to the listing with Josh Behr of LIV Sotheby’s International Realty.
A representative for Behr didn’t respond to a request for comment.
From gorilla encounters in Uganda to a reimagined Okavango retreat, Abercrombie & Kent elevates its African journeys with two spectacular lodge transformations.
A bold new era for Australian luxury: MAISON de SABRÉ launches The Palais, a flagship handbag eight years in the making.
