Are we spoiling the kids by paying off their HELP debt?

Dear Ms Wise, how can we help out our kids without spoiling them? With HECS indexation up to 7 per cent, I’d argue it’s well worth paying down this debt for them. But my wife disagrees and says they need to find their own way financially. Rob

The wisdom: Financial planner Marisa Broome agrees it’s worth helping out when HECS (which is now called HELP) indexation is this high (rising inflation has pushed debts 7.1 per cent higher), but says a way of getting your kids to understand it’s not a handout is to treat it as a loan – perhaps from any inheritance.