Largest cash gift

[Sojourner]

I'm sure most of us have given cash (or cash equivalents) to friends and family on various occasions as gifts. For those very special things such as high school or college graduation, weddings, etc., the gift size usually increases quite a bit. What was the largest amount of cash you've ever given as a gift to someone not in your immediate family?

 

[lem1955]

Took grandkids to Europe for high school graduation present. But they are immediate family. Biggest gift to nephews, nieces, and friends' kids in the $50 - $100 range.

 

[Car-Guy]

10k for a high school graduation.

 

[pb4uski]

We routinely give our nieces and nephews $250 for college graduations.

 

[Dog]

$100 for graduation to nieces and nephews.


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[MichaelB]

I'm sure most of us have given cash (or cash equivalents) to friends and family on various occasions as gifts. For those very special things such as high school or college graduation, weddings, etc., the gift size usually increases quite a bit. What was the largest amount of cash you've ever given as a gift to someone not in your immediate family?

What was yours?

 

[Sojourner]

We routinely give our nieces and nephews $250 for college graduations.

Similar to what I'm considering. Have you ever given any thought to varying the amount, say if a nephew or niece came from a very rich family vs. a very poor one?

 

[Sojourner]

What was yours?

The most I've given so far has been $100, but I'm considering going a good bit higher for an upcoming special occasion for one of my nephews. I don't have kids of my own, so my nieces and nephews will get the "gold package" when it comes to gifts for these kinds of big life events.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We gave $500 as a wedding gift to DS's best friend since kindergarten--we were invited to the wedding. That was the most.

I use this scale for unrelated kids' life events, no COLA in almost 20 years. A little more if it's someone special. We are aging out of being advised of or invited to most of these occasions--a couple more weddings and maybe one more college graduation in the next couple of years:

$25 junior high grad
$50 hs grad
$100 college grad
$250 wedding

 

[aaronc879]

I've never given or received more than $20 from a non immediate family member. A cousin was having a rummage sale to help fund a trip and I bought a $.25 item for $20 and said keep the change. I've received a $20 gift from a couple of Aunts for my birthday when I was younger. I have no nieces or nephews, I would give them more.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I've never given or received more than $20 from a non immediate family member. A cousin was having a rummage sale to help fund a trip and I bought a $.25 item for $20 and said keep the change. I've received a $20 gift from a couple of Aunts for my birthday when I was younger. I have no nieces or nephews, I would give them more.

I think my scale is probably too cheap to some people, too high to others, and way more than I personally ever received--a birthday card was special even without $$ in it. My late MIL always gave her own kids and their spouses $15 for our birthdays, $5 each to the grandkids.

 

[powerplay]

I have given $1000 for high school graduation to nieces and nephews.

 

[kcowan]

$10k per year for 4 years to each of five GCs to attend college.
$1000 to each heir for birthday and $2500 for Christmas.

 

[MichaelB]

The most I've given so far has been $100, but I'm considering going a good bit higher for an upcoming special occasion for one of my nephews. I don't have kids of my own, so my nieces and nephews will get the "gold package" when it comes to gifts for these kinds of big life events.

My closest friend has no children end enjoys giving to his nephews. A very nice gift for them, hopefully they appreciate your generosity as well.

We gave $500 as a wedding gift to DS's best friend since kindergarten--we were invited to the wedding. That was the most.

I use this scale for unrelated kids' life events, no COLA in almost 20 years. A little more if it's someone special. We are aging out of being advised of or invited to most of these occasions--a couple more weddings and maybe one more college graduation in the next couple of years:

$25 junior high grad
$50 hs grad
$100 college grad
$250 wedding

That's what we give for college and weddings.

When our little angels were still toddlers we opened investment college accounts for them, in their names. By the time college came around we were doing unexpectedly well, and could afford the full ride. We made a deal with them, they could keep the money - but they had to put it into retirement accounts. They agreed (who would have guessed ) and it gave them more than 5 years of ROTH contributions. We still give them cash and help out in other ways, but aside from weddings, nothing this substantial.

 

[hnzw_rui]

2014-current
$25 godchildren (babies and toddlers), nieces and nephews
$50 godchildren (elementary to middle school)
$500 wedding close friends and family, $200 otherwise

Gifts occasionally adjusted for inflation. I currently don't have any godchildren older than middle school age but if I had, probably $100 for them. In general though, godchildren around the same age get double the amount of similarly aged nieces and nephews.

I don't plan on having children of my own so if I die with a large estate, my former alma mater and my godchildren will inherit. If so, that will be the largest cash or cash equivalent gift I would've given.

 

[Danmar]

Routine wedding gifts are $1,000. Helped a disabled friend for about $5,000 once. Gave brother $10,000 once. Gave daughter down payment for house in mid 6 figures. Not sure what the point of the question is? Obviously these figures vary based on desire and means? We Like to think we are generous but we can afford to be.

 

[Sue J]

We gave $100 as a wedding gift. It was my sister's step son. We were invited to the out of town wedding but did not attend, so $100 felt right.

We give $50 for any kind of graduation. We used to do cash birthday gifts to all the nieces and nephews but when DH lost his job and retired we decided those gifts would end at age 18. Only one niece is left and she turns 18 in November.

I would love to be as generous as some of you but we need to stay with what's reasonable for us.

 

[TimSF]

$500 for graduations (nieces and nephews).

 

[2017ish]

Wow. We are cheap.

Gave $100 to our niece/goddaughter for HS grad; then recently felt that we had to give $50 to her brother a couple years later--otherwise no cash gifts to nieces/nephews. Other than that, I can't recall ever giving a cash gift to anyone other than our children.

 

[calmloki]

A hearty handshake and bag of pop bottles to turn in for deposit?

 

[Texas Proud]

It was spread out, but gave $12K to a niece for her graduate studies... she became a lawyer...


Looking back, was not a great investment.... she has continued to do part time work etc. and has not lived up to her potential at all... and she has become very socialistic...

Other nephews and nieces lost out after that....

So far, of the 6 nephew and nieces, only 2 I would call successful..... one is becoming a doctor and the other an engineer... the one I helped could be as she is a lawyer, but does not apply herself at all and takes on temp jobs off and on...

 

[kgtest]

Apparently $100 is our wedding limit. I tried to give Sis-in-law and new bro $250 and my wife freaked out. Then again it takes her 3x as long as me to earn that $250 so that could be one reason why.

birthday's its only $15/niece nephew, $50 limit for bday, Christmas, mother/father day. Graduation is $50.

I have $1000 budgeted for gifts but some years I spend a little more. The largest gift I've received was $20,000 when I got married. I received another $10,000 when we bought our first home together. I fully intend to help my son buy his first home if he needs the help. I'm sure DH will want to cover his college tuition since her grandparents/parents did that for her and her siblings. Not sure if that will be a gift or what yet but I am thinking the rental income will help with that...I may just sell a rental home if/when the time comes to fund college. I'm sort of against funding college though. I feel like its one of those things that if you want great opportunities you will find them with or without college. Now being a Dr./Lawyer might be the exception.

 

[splitwdw]

My best friend's wedding. 500.

 

[Corporateburnout]

$250 graduation for nieces and nephews

$600 Wedding gift for a niece.$ 300 for a friend son's wedding

 

[Jack_Pine]

We gave $500 as a wedding gift to DS's best friend since kindergarten--we were invited to the wedding. That was the most.

I use this scale for unrelated kids' life events, no COLA in almost 20 years. A little more if it's someone special. We are aging out of being advised of or invited to most of these occasions--a couple more weddings and maybe one more college graduation in the next couple of years:

$25 junior high grad
$50 hs grad
$100 college grad
$250 wedding

Pretty much this less the Jr High. No 5th grade or eight grade grad gifts with.

We do $25 for confirmation on the Catholic side.

As some else noted, we to are cheap or at least frugal in this area.