Parents Are Buying Homes for Kids Priced Out of the Housing Market

Adult children increasingly are looking to parents to help them buy homes. Some parents are co-signing a mortgage, giving money for a down payment, or buying the property outright. It's crucial assistance, given the high home prices and mortgage rates above 5%. Plus, real estate is increasingly being viewed as a hedge against inflation and a better option than paying rent. Some ultra-wealthy parents have sought financial planners' advice on buying homes for kids because of the increased gift and estate tax exemption. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act doubled the amount Americans can pass on to heirs tax-free to about $12 million for individuals and $24 million for couples in 2022. That provision will sunset at the end of 2025 when the exemption is scheduled to be cut in half.