The 6 best financial gifts to give this holiday season, according to a CFP

As the holidays near, keep in mind how family and friends can support each other during the coming year. Money can be a tricky topic to discuss with your loved ones, but you can show you care with a gift that supports their financial health and helps them manage money successfully.

And you can't start too soon: Parents should start talking to their kids about money early, using informative children's books and educational toys. You can also start saving for your child's future now with the right savings account or investment vehicle.

"Depending on the child's age, these types of gifts can open up conversations and create a fun and engaging way to learn about money," says Brett Tharp, a certified financial planner and eMoney Advisor education consultant.

Ahead, Tharp unwraps six money-related gifts to consider this holiday season.

1. Books and toys about money
2. 529 accounts
3. Stocks
4. CDs
5. Custodial IRA or Roth IRA
6. A session with a financial planner

There are many books and toys that encourage kids to develop a relationship with money from an early age, says Tharp, including toy cash registers, piggy banks, board games and financially-focused activity books.

Reading a storybook with lovable characters, such as "The Four Money Bears," can be more effective than waiting until they're older to go over dry facts about finances.

Though it's not the most exciting gift, opening a 529 for your child gives them something to look forward to as their educational savings grow.

"These accounts offer tax-deferred growth and tax-free distributions for qualifying education expenses," Tharp tells CNBC Select. They also open the door to conversations about the future and can help your child think about what's possible in the years to come.

NY's 29 College Savings Plan is available to households in any state, with no minimum opening contribution and a healthy $520,000 maximum initial contribution.

"Consider purchasing stocks in a child’s name," Tharp advises. "This educates them about the importance of investing at an early age."

Even if they don't earn much, your child can watch their stock's value fluctuate and learn how the market works, preparing them for investing on their own.

"Choose a company with long-term growth potential," Tharp said. "Perhaps you pick stock in an industry that your child is interested in, such as sports or entertainment. Or you could use this opportunity to talk to your child about what your family values or let them choose a socially responsible company to invest in."

Under the Uniform Gift to Minors Act, an adult can transfer assets to underage beneficiaries without having to establish a trust. This happens mostly between parents and children, but you can open an account for a grandchild, niece/nephew, godchild, cousin or other young person.

• Read more: The best CD rates

Certificates of deposit earn higher interest than traditional savings accounts, and since they can't touch the funds for a certain amount of time, there's no temptation to ask to spend the money. Unlike savings accounts, CDs have fixed terms (usually ranging from three months to five years) and, typically, the longer the term, the higher the interest rate.

Opening a CD for a child teaches them how compound interest works and illustrates the value of patience. You'll need to have the child's name, date of birth, address and Social Security number.

If your child is already earning income, you can open a custodial retirement account for them. The money is theirs, but you'll manage the assets until they turn 18 (or 21 in some states).

A custodial IRA (or custodial Roth IRA) can help your kid reap the benefits of compound interest and tax-deferred growth. Withdrawal rules vary, so look into the specifics if you think the money will come in handy before your child is ready to retire.

"A Roth IRA makes the most sense," says Tharp. "Children are likely to be in a very low tax rate, so paying applicable tax rates now is better than when they're taking distributions in the future."

Working with a financial planner is essential during times of great transition, such as starting or leaving a job, getting married, starting a family or buying a home. But there's no harm in scheduling a financial check-up, and many advisors offer simple tools —including apps and client membership websites — just for this purpose.

"This helps people not only plan for the future but also track progress toward their financial goals," says Tharp.

If you want to get your child a financial planning session, look for a fee-only fiduciary who charges a flat rate, rather than a commission. It's more straightforward, which is best when mixing money and relationships.

Another way to gift financial planning is with a membership to a financial services company like Betterment., which offers robo-advisor investing, financial planning, crypto investing, a no-fee checking account and more.

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