ClearCash lets adult children or authorized caregivers monitor an elderly parent’s accounts for unusual activity, missed bills, or potential fraud — without taking ownership of the accounts or removing the parent’s independence.
Before you start
To connect a parent’s bank account via Plaid, you need to be an authorized user or joint account holder at their bank. This is a requirement from Plaid and the bank, not a ClearCash restriction.
If you are not currently on the account, speak with your parent and their bank about adding you as an authorized user before proceeding.
Setting it up
1. Create a group
Open the Groups tab and tap Create Group. Give it a clear name like “Mom’s Finances” or “Dorothy — Accounts”. You become the group Owner.
2. Connect the parent’s accounts
From your own ClearCash account, connect the parent’s bank accounts using Plaid. Because you are an authorized user or joint holder, you can authenticate the connections.
If your parent has accounts at multiple banks, connect each one separately — they can all be shared into the same group.
3. Share the accounts with the group
From the group settings, share each connected account. This makes the transactions and balances visible to all group members.
Set the split percentages to parent 100% / caregiver 0%. This ensures the accounts contribute to the parent’s net worth, not yours. Since the purpose of this group is monitoring rather than shared financial responsibility, your own net worth should be unaffected.
A 0% split means the account appears in the group for visibility but has no effect on the caregiver’s net worth calculation.
4. Invite the parent (optional)
This step is optional. You can monitor on your own without the parent needing to use ClearCash at all.
If your parent would like to see their own financial data, add them as a Member using their email address. They can log in with their own account and see the shared accounts.
What you can monitor
With shared account access, you can check:
- That recurring bills — rent, utilities, insurance — are being paid on time
- Unusual transactions such as large withdrawals, unfamiliar merchants, or repeated small charges that may indicate subscription fraud or scams
- Current balances and recent transaction history across all connected accounts
- Spending patterns over time to notice significant changes
Ownership and privacy
Your parent remains the account owner at their bank. ClearCash reflects current account data — it does not give you the ability to move money, initiate payments, or change account settings.
If your parent uses ClearCash independently for their own financial tracking, they can connect their own accounts separately in their own account. Joining your group is an optional, additional layer of visibility.
Keeping finances organized
If you are managing both your own household finances and your parent’s accounts in ClearCash, use separate groups to keep them organized:
- One group for your household (partner, shared expenses)
- A separate group for your parent’s accounts
Each group has its own sharing settings and members, so there is no overlap between them.
Creating a group → · Adding members →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I connect accounts at multiple banks?
Yes. Connect each institution separately through Plaid and share all of them to the same group. You will see a unified view across all accounts in the group.
What if my parent has accounts I am not authorized on?
You can only connect accounts where you are an authorized user or joint holder. For accounts you cannot access, you will need to work with your parent and their bank to add authorization before connecting them.
Can my parent see my personal accounts?
No. Group members only see accounts that have been explicitly shared into the group. Your personal and household accounts remain private.
What happens if we later add a sibling or other caregiver?
You can add them as a member of the group from the group settings. As the Owner, you control who has access and at what role level.
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