Sources of Financial Support at Age 22: Evidence from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study

Sources of Financial Support at Age 22: Evidence from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study

The Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) has been following a large and diverse sample of children born in 20 large US cities since their births in 1998 to 2000. The children—now young adults—were re-interviewed between October 2020 and January 2024, at age 22, responding to questions about their income, earnings, living arrangements, employment, education, family, financial support, health, identity, and more. These children turned 22 during the COVID-19 pandemic. As youth in the FFCWS cohort transition into young adulthood, these interviews provide an opportunity to understand how today’s young adults are faring. 

This brief focuses on the sources of financial support of young adults, looking across assistance from family, public programs, and other sources, and the ability of young adults to cover an emergency expense. Results are representative of young adults born in large cities in the United States. This brief is part of a series on young adults’ wellbeing at age 22.

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Key Findings

  • Receiving financial support at age 22 is common. Two-thirds of young adults (65%) receive assistance from family members and one-third (34%) receive public programs; some receive both.
     
  • Differences emerge across race and ethnicity and parental status, but not by gender.
     
  • The majority of White young adults receive their financial support from family
    members and at high rates: 80% receive assistance from family and 21% receive public programs. Black young adults have a more even split: 50% receive family support and 50% receive public programs. Half of Latino young adults (50%) receive family support, but fewer receive public programs (36%).
     
  • Young women who are parents by age 22 receive financial support from public programs at more than twice the rate of young women who are not parents (69% versus 30%, respectively).
     
  • The most common type of family transfers helps young adults cover general unspecified expenses. The most common public transfer for young adults is food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
     
  • Over half (54%) of young adults could cover a $400 emergency expense from their bank account, except young adult parents who would struggle more to do so. 
Learn More on Future of Families Study

The study is a joint effort by Princeton University’s Bendheim-Thoman Center for Research on Child and Family Wellbeing and the Columbia Population Research Center.

The Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study is a long-running collaborative birth cohort study, which has followed a large and diverse sample of children since their births in 1998 to 2000. The children were born in 20 large cities but now reside all over the United States. When weighted, the study provides data that is nationally representative of young adults born in large cities and as such is the only nationally representative sample of a contemporary cohort of young adults followed longitudinally since birth.

Suggested Citation:

Hamilton, Christal and Megan Curran. 2026. Sources of financial support at age 22. Princeton, NJ: The Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study.  

Published on February 27, 2026