Family Financial Health Guide for Parents | Maple

A financial toolkit built
for new parents

Becoming a parent changes your entire financial picture. Here's everything you need to get organized — and the tools that make it easier. Whether you just brought a baby home or your kid is already in grade school, it's never too late to get started.

Curated by Maple · trusted by hundreds of thousands of families

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78%
of parents feel financially unprepared for a new baby
$310K
estimated cost to raise a child to age 18
1 in 3
parents have no dedicated savings for their child's future

The family financial journey

Money moves that matter,
at every stage

There's no single app that does it all — but there is a clear path. Here's how to think about your family's financial health, and what to tackle first.

🍼

Plan your parental leave

Before the baby arrives, find out if your employer offers paid parental leave coverage. Parento is the leading provider of paid parental leave insurance for companies — ask your HR team if it's part of your benefits.

🛡️

Protect your family's future

A will, trust, and guardianship designation are the most important documents a parent can have — and most families don't have them. Trust & Will makes estate planning simple, affordable, and something you can actually finish today.

🧾

Get your household payroll right

Hiring a nanny or caregiver? You're now a household employer. That means payroll taxes, quarterly filings, and legal obligations — tools like Poppins Payroll make it painless so you stay compliant from day one.

📈

Start building wealth, even in small amounts

You don't need a financial advisor to start investing. Acorns rounds up everyday purchases and puts the difference to work — making it easy for busy parents to grow savings on autopilot.

🌱

Save for your child's future

Open a tax-advantaged investment account for your kid while they're young. UNest makes it simple to build a nest egg from day one — and lets friends and family contribute as birthday and holiday gifts.

🎓

Teach your kids about money early

Financial literacy starts at home. Outschool offers live online classes that give kids real money skills — budgeting, saving, understanding how markets work — in a fun, age appropriate format.

⏱️

Get your time back

Managing family finances is practically a part-time job. Duckbill's AI handles calls, negotiations, and errands — insurance claims, bill disputes, subscriptions — so you can focus on your family.

Our recommended toolkit

Trusted tools for every family

We've partnered with best in class financial tools so you don't have to go searching. Each one is vetted and used by families in the Maple community.

Parento
Parental leave

The leading provider of paid parental leave insurance — offered through employers. Ask your HR team if Parento is part of your benefits package, or share it with them if it's not.

Learn more
Poppins Payroll
Household payroll

The simplest way to pay your nanny or caregiver legally. Poppins handles payroll taxes, quarterly filings, and year-end W-2s for just $49/month — no surprises, no penalties, total peace of mind.

Get started
Acorns
Micro-investing

Invest your spare change automatically. Acorns rounds up everyday purchases and puts the difference to work, making it easy for busy parents to build wealth without thinking about it.

Start investing
UNest
Kids investing

Tax-advantaged custodial investment accounts for children — the market leader in kids' savings. First year free on balances up to $300. Friends and family can contribute directly as gifts.

Open an account
Outschool
Financial literacy

Live online classes that teach kids real financial skills — budgeting, saving, and understanding money. Hundreds of classes for ages 4–18, led by vetted educators in a fun, interactive format.

Browse classes
Duckbill
AI concierge

AI that actually gets things done. Duckbill handles calls, negotiates bills, fights insurance claims, and manages errands — so parents spend less time on financial admin and more time on family.

Try Duckbill
Trust & Will
Estate planning

Every parent needs a will, and most don't have one. Trust & Will makes it simple to set up a will, trust, and guardianship designation for your kids — all online, in under an hour.

Get started

Quick wins for your family's financial health

5 things to do right now

Small steps add up fast. Pick one or two to tackle this week. These apply whether your child is 2 weeks or 12 years old — you're not behind, you're just starting now.

01

Audit your subscriptions

A 20-minute review typically saves families $50–100/month. Cancel what you're not actively using.

02

Open a kids' investment account

$25/month invested from birth grows to ~$15K by college. The best time to start is today.

03

Check your nanny tax status

If you pay a caregiver $2,700+/year, you're legally required to handle payroll taxes. Don't wait.

04

Start a money conversation

Kids who learn about money early are more financially confident as adults. Even a quick chat counts.

05

Automate one savings habit

Set up automatic investing — even $5/week adds up. Automation always beats willpower.

Where your family's financial
life comes together

Maple isn't a budgeting app — it's the home base where your benefits, childcare, and financial toolkit all live in one place. Less to manage, more time for what matters.

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