Free tool
Allowance Calculator and Chart by Age
Pick a rule. See the weekly number, the yearly number, and what it looks like at 12.
Ryan · Degen DadPublished Oct 29, 2026Pick a rule (a dollar a year of age, a flat rate, pay per chore) and see the weekly and yearly number, the spend/save/give split, and what it looks like at 12. It's arithmetic, not advice. The allowance-by-age chart is further down for anyone who just wants the number other families tend to land on. I'm not a financial anything. I'm a dad who can multiply.
This one is just math in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Our allowance rule
Age 4 · A dollar per year of age
Every week
$4
Every month
$17.33
Every year
$208
Each week, into the jars:
Spend
$2
50%
Save
$1.60
40%
Give
$0.40
10%
On this rule, later on:
| Age | Weekly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | $6 | $312 |
| 8 | $8 | $416 |
| 10 | $10 | $520 |
| 12 | $12 | $624 |
Paid on the same day every week. Arithmetic, not advice.
How to use it
- Pick your kid's age and a rule: a dollar per year of age, half a dollar per year, a flat weekly amount, or pay per chore.
- For a flat rate, type the weekly amount. For per-chore, type how many chores a week and what each one pays.
- Leave the spend/save/give split on and change the percentages if you want. They have to add up to 100.
- Hit "Print our allowance rule" and stick it on the fridge, so the rule is written down before anyone negotiates.
How Much Allowance by Age: The Chart
The two most common allowance rules are a dollar per year of age each week, and half a dollar per year of age. Here is what both look like from age 3 to 16. Plenty of families land somewhere between the two columns, then adjust for what the allowance has to cover.
Weekly amounts, plus what the dollar-a-year rule adds up to over 52 weeks. It's arithmetic, not a recommendation. What fits your family depends on what the money is supposed to pay for.
| Age | 50¢ per year (weekly) | $1 per year (weekly) | $1 per year (yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $1.50 | $3 | $156 |
| 4 | $2 | $4 | $208 |
| 5 | $2.50 | $5 | $260 |
| 6 | $3 | $6 | $312 |
| 7 | $3.50 | $7 | $364 |
| 8 | $4 | $8 | $416 |
| 9 | $4.50 | $9 | $468 |
| 10 | $5 | $10 | $520 |
| 11 | $5.50 | $11 | $572 |
| 12 | $6 | $12 | $624 |
| 13 | $6.50 | $13 | $676 |
| 14 | $7 | $14 | $728 |
| 15 | $7.50 | $15 | $780 |
| 16 | $8 | $16 | $832 |
The Four Allowance Rules, Plainly
Every allowance system is one of these four, or a mix. None of them is the right one. Each one teaches something slightly different.
- •Age-based: a dollar (or fifty cents) per year of age, every week, with a raise on every birthday. Simple to explain and easy to keep fair between siblings. It doesn't tie money to work.
- •Flat rate: one fixed amount every week, say $5, raised whenever you decide. The easiest to run. The trade-off is that it's a number someone picked, so expect a lobbying campaign around age eight.
- •Chore-based (commission): no work, no pay. Each chore is worth a set amount. Dave Ramsey popularized this as the commission model. It ties money to effort, but kids can opt out of chores when they don't need cash.
- •Hybrid: a small base amount for just being part of the family, plus extra for bigger jobs. More moving parts, but it separates everyday chores (which everybody does for free) from earning jobs.
Allowance and Chores: Tie Them or Don't
Should allowance be tied to chores? There are two camps. One says money is earned, so allowance is paid for chores done. The other says everyday chores are part of living in a house, nobody pays the parents for doing dishes, and allowance is a separate tool for learning to manage money.
A common middle ground: everyday chores (make your bed, clear your plate) are unpaid, and bigger jobs (wash the car, rake the yard) earn extra. Whichever you pick, decide it before the first payday. If you want a list of age-appropriate jobs, the chore chart generator builds one by age.
Spend, Save, Give: The Three Jars
The three-jar system splits every allowance into money to spend now, money to save for something bigger, and money to give away. Clear jars work best for young kids, because they can see the save jar fill up.
The calculator starts at 50% spend, 40% save and 10% give. That's a starting point, not a rule. Some families do thirds. Some skip the give jar until kids are older. The point is that a four-year-old sees a dollar go into the save jar every week and, a couple of months later, sees what it turned into.
Tips
Start smaller than you think
It's easy to raise an allowance and miserable to cut one. Start low and give a raise on birthdays. Raises are a great day.
Same day, every week
Saturday morning, Sunday after breakfast, whatever. Payday that moves around teaches them you forget, which they will use.
Cash, so they can see it
A number in an app means nothing to a five-year-old. Real dollars going into a jar mean a lot. Go digital when they're older.
Don't dock it for behavior
Unless the rule says so up front, in writing. Docking allowance on the spot turns it into a punishment tool, and then every payday is a negotiation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much allowance should a kid get by age?
There's no correct number. A common rule of thumb is a dollar per year of age each week ($5 at five, $10 at ten), and plenty of families land between half that and the full dollar. The chart above shows both for ages 3 to 16.
At what age should you start giving allowance?
Many families start around four to six, once a kid can count and understands that money buys things. Starting small at three or four with a save jar is fine too.
Should allowance be tied to chores?
It's a family call. Tying it to chores teaches that money is earned. Keeping them separate teaches that chores are part of family life and allowance is for learning to manage money. A common middle ground: everyday chores are unpaid, bigger jobs pay extra.
What is the dollar-per-year allowance rule?
One dollar each week for every year of the kid's age: $6 a week at six, $12 at twelve. It's simple, it raises itself every birthday, and it's easy to keep fair between siblings.
Is this calculator financial advice?
No. It does arithmetic on the rule you pick and nothing else. What you pay is up to you and what the allowance has to cover. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.