Even well-to-do millennials are getting handouts from mom and dad.

A recent survey of 1,000 millennials ages 18-34 by Bank of America and USA TODAY found that “it’s not just the young, out-of-work millennials who are getting help from their parents or family members.” And “many respondents making more than $75,000 per year indicated they have received financial assistance as well” — and it’s not just to help them buy larger purchases like a home.

Millennials making $75,000 a year are taking money from their parents to pay for basics: One in four has had their parents pay for their groceries, and more than one in five has received money for clothing.

Even when they’ve got two-income potential in their household, they still may be opening their wallet for a handout: More than one in 10 married millennials still have a parent who helps them out with their cell phone bill.

So what’s going on here? While some will, no doubt, say it’s because the millennial generation is entitled, there may be a few other (dare we say, better) explanations. While Andrew Plepler, a global corporate social responsibility executive at Bank of America, notes that there isn’t sufficient information to say conclusively why many seemingly affluent millennials are still getting money from their parents, he does have some theories — one being that student loans play a role.

The survey results show that more than one in three millennials had student loan debt and while only about 40% of those received financial assistance from their families on these, it’s possible that some got help paying for other items because of the stress student loans put on their monthly cash flow.

Furthermore, seven in 10 college graduates now leave school with debt —an average of nearly $30,000 —a rate that increased rapidly in the past decade, according to the Project on Student Debt. In fact, a survey released last month by Citizens Financial Group showed that nearly half of college grads now say they would have considered not going to college had they known the impact student loans would have on their lives.

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Another explanation might have to do with millennials spending. “No matter how much millennials are making, many are choosing to spend on near-term experiences instead of saving for longer term goals,” says Plepler. “These decisions may result in situations where they are asking family for help.” The survey showed that 57% of all millennials surveyed say it is “really difficult” for people their age to live within their means and not overspend. “That, along with the fact that 33% have student loans to pay off, point to dynamics where even those who went to school and have good-paying jobs are still struggling and may look to mom and dad for extra help,” he says.

These financial handouts could also be due to the close relationships that millennials have formed with their parents. According to a White House report released last month “millennials have close relationships with their parents” with roughly half saying that it is important to them to live close to their friends and family, compared to 29% of baby boomers and 40% of Generation Xers. These close relationships may further foster the giving of money even to well-to-do millennials, particularly for those who live close to their families.

Parents under pressure

While the money handouts are all well and good for millennials, they likely aren’t helping the parents who are giving them. The National Institute on Retirement Security reveals that households with teens, college-aged kids and older children have not saved nearly enough for retirement. Households where the head of household is 45 to 54 that have saved anything for retirement have balances of just $60,000, and those with heads of household that are 55 to 64 that have retirement savings have balances of just $100,000 — far less than what financial advisers recommend. Some advisers would like Americans to save 11 or more times their final working salary (so someone with a $50,000 salary would want at least $550,000 upon retirement).

So what’s an under-saved parent to do? If your child is making a good income, it may help if you sit down with them a make a budget so they don’t ask for or need to take money from you, experts say. If that’s still not enough to help, consider financial assistance to the kids that doesn’t cost you as much. Monterey, Calif.-based financial planner Catherine Hawley says that parents may want to consider letting kids live with them — with strings attached; these might include a written outline of the child’s financial and other obligations like chores for the household and the repercussions for not meeting them.