For many parents, it is easier to talk to their children about sex than money. And there are few touchier subjects for wealthy families than the topic of inheritance.
Don’t we all dread certain “talks” we’re supposed to have with our children? But even though we’d like to avoid “the talk” – when it comes to things like inheritance, it’s best to kick procrastination to the curb and face the challenge.
Add “the inheritance talk” to the short list of intergenerational talks too important to avoid. So, how do you prepare and execute this too-important-to-avoid chat?
To be blunt: there is no easy answer. Why? Because so much of the talk depends on what you have to leave, who is going to manage it, who is going to inherit it, and how soon are they going to get it?
The Wall Street Journal recently offered a pep-talk for estate planning parents in a recent article aptly titled, “The Inheritance Conversation. Ugh.”
One of the key reasons for this essential intergenerational communication is to prepare the inheriting generation for the attending responsibilities. One challenge, of course, is that any “inheritance” carries the risk of robbing a developing person of their work ethic.
In short, what makes you, your assets, and your heirs unique? That is what needs to be understood and communicated. The sooner you have the inheritance talk, the better it will be for all concerned.
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Reference: The Wall Street Journal (April 19, 2013) “The Inheritance Conversation. Ugh.”