It’s certainly no secret that the American economy is not seeing its brightest days. And, just like the millennials before them, adult Gen Zers are paying the price, or not paying it, as it were, because of widespread joblessness and the financial crunch among the age group.

In many cases, who is paying for it is their parents, and according to a new survey, it is costing moms and dads of adult Gen Zers thousands of dollars each year as they chip in to help their kids stay afloat.

Parents of Gen Zers are spending upwards of $30k a year supporting their adult kids, according to a survey.

The survey, conducted by career website TopResume, asked 600 U.S. parents of recent graduates just how much support their kids have needed as they’ve entered young adulthood. The results were pretty staggering, even if not exactly surprising.

Nearly 1 in 4 spend between $500 and $999 a month to support their kids, 1 in 20 spend between $1,000 and $2,499, and nearly 1 in 7 spend more than $2,500. That’s basically a second mortgage.

And those whose kids haven’t quite stepped into adulthood just yet — those who are still finishing up school or approaching high school graduation, for instance — don’t expect to have it any easier. A full third said they expect to spend at least $5,000- $9,999 a year once their kids have graduated.

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Many parents are paying for everything as their kids struggle to find work.

When it comes to the so-called “bank of mom and dad,” the handouts go far beyond just helping them keep the rent covered. Parents said they are chipping in for absolutely everything. Eighty-one percent cover food and groceries, 64.7% pay utility bills, and 64.8% house their kids rent-free at home.

Why? Well, exactly what you’d expect. The punishing job market means a huge proportion of Gen Z adults are struggling to find sufficient work or find work at all.

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While 62.7% of parents who responded to the survey reported that their young adult child had found full-time work, more than a quarter have not and are struggling with job hunting, while nearly 11% said their kids are stuck in part-time or temporary roles.

All told, 40% of parents said their kids are either unemployed or underemployed. Basically, they’re stuck in jobs that don’t pay enough or offer enough hours for them to be self-sufficient. And this is creating even more costs for parents. In fact, 24.5% said they’re also covering their kids’ job-search costs, like career coaching, resume writing, and admission fees for networking events.

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This economic situation is taking a real toll on Gen Z’s parents.

While nearly two-thirds of parents said they are “happy to help” their adult kids, all this assistance is nonetheless creating major financial strain for Gen Z’s parents. A whopping 71% said their finances have taken a hit.

And while thankfully only 5% said the situation has become untenable, those who said it’s been a struggle have been forced to make very real sacrifices, including cutting their own spending and even delaying retirement in order to help their kids.

The emotional strain is real, especially because large numbers of parents said they didn’t expect it to be this hard for their kids to get on their feet. A full third thought their child would be financially independent within a year of graduating, and 25.6% thought it would happen within 6 months.

Amanda Augustine, resident career expert for TopResume and a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC), chalks this all up to the combination of a bad job market, the decline of entry-level positions, and the lack of quality instruction at colleges on the skills needed to actually navigate a job search.

“Parents are often left to fill the gap,” she said, though she stressed that parents’ efforts are likely to pay off in the long term if they’re also helping their kids learn how to manage their job search. Even if it’s a struggle, “they’re equipping them with the skills and tools to achieve independence and long-term success.”

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John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.