Parents begin wealth transfer plans when children are as young as four

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Affluent parents in Hong Kong and mainland China have begun wealth transfer planning when their children are as young as four, according to a new survey by DBS Hong Kong.

“DBS Treasures Affluent Family Survey 2026 – From Education to Inheritance: Planning for Children’s Future”, which polled families in Hong Kong and mainland China, found that parents set aside an average of HK$5mn in liquid assets for the next generation.

Some 31 per cent of respondents reported that they had already started planning while their children remained in school.

This approach differs markedly from that of previous generations, when arrangements for passing on wealth tended to occur later in life. Today, many parents are integrating these plans from the early years of their children’s upbringing.

Mainland parents show greater readiness to use investments and life insurance for inheritance planning, while those in Hong Kong tend to prefer savings vehicles. Across both markets, however, flexibility and control over the timing of wealth transfers rank as top concerns.

Mainland parents, by contrast, favour investments combined with life insurance because of the potential for asset growth and the gearing effect of insurance. A relatively modest premium, sometimes supported by financing options, can secure a much larger sum for future generations.

Of equal importance is financial education. The survey showed that 94 per cent of parents regard financial awareness as essential to their children’s upbringing, with 67 per cent believing it should begin by age 13 or earlier.

“Hong Kong parents most hope their children develop regular savings habits, while parents in mainland China place more emphasis on understanding investments,” said Amy Kwan, head of business planning, customer segment and ecosystem, consumer banking group & wealth management, DBS Hong Kong.

These goals are supported by the bank through joint parent-child activities, seminars on overseas education scenarios and tools that track asset allocation and progress towards goals.

One recent example was the “Future Tycoons Family Wealth Discovery Day” at the 18 QRC DBS Treasures Centre in Central, where families took part in simulated real-life scenarios covering life planning and financial management.

Overseas education is also an integral part of many families’ long-term plans. Some 91 per cent of parents remain open to sending children abroad, with mainland parents often favouring Hong Kong or Singapore and Hong Kong families preferring