Most Americans investing for retirement say they wish someone had talked with them about saving and investing when they were teens or young adults—and mothers seem to be carrying out those wishes more than fathers, according to a survey from Capital Group.

According to the survey, people most wished their younger selves had gotten advice about saving for retirement and 401(k) tips; advice on debt, credit cards and living within your means; and general knowledge about the stock market and how investing works.

In particular, 45 percent of women wish they'd been taught more about retirement savings and 401(k) tips—that's considerably higher than the 33 percent of men who regret the lack of such advice.

And moms are apparently determined their kids won't be having those regrets—or at least not all of them, since they're the ones talking to the kids about “everything from having good credit to starting to save early in life for retirement.” They're in a “statistical dead heat” with dads, though, when it comes to discussions of investing or buying a car.

But dads are the ones who are more likely to say that they're the primary investment decisionmakers in the household, at 79 percent compared with moms' 51 percent.

If they were raised in a financially unstable household, adults are more likely to talk about a broad range of financial topics, but in particular they address making a budget (66 percent, compared with 54 percent who grew up in a financially stable home) and paying off loans (57 percent compared with 43 percent, respectively).

Approximately a third of parents wish they'd talked to the kids earlier, with 39 percent of millennial parents saying they'd start telling children at age 12 or younger to save early.

That's nearly twice the level of baby boomer parents, at 22 percent. Surprisingly, 28 percent of boomer parents say they're still teaching their kids about finances—and at that stage of life, such lessons may be harder to learn.

And still, says the survey, there's a gap in saving and investing education. Americans rank parents, schools and financial advisors as the top three resources for teaching children and young adults about financial matters, relegating employers lower on the list despite the fact that that's where lots of young adults get their first exposure to saving and investing via a 401(k) plan.

Of course, it would be preferable that they be exposed to financial education before they're old enough to hit the workplace, so perhaps that's why.

Instant Insights /

Moms talk more with kids about financial topics than dads

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