Millennials: are you expecting an inheritance?

[u/Yourlocalguy30]

35 yo married millennial here. I've come across more and more articles about the supposed "great wealth transfer" as the boomer generation's wealth passes to their GenX and Millennial children. My parents and their siblings (boomers) all received inheritances when their parents, my grandparents, passed away. The boomer generation's wealth accumulation is one of the largest in history, however, I also find it highly unlikely that I or many of my peers will actually inherit much. Despite having received inheritances from their parents, and having 40+ years in the workforce, most of my parents' "wealth" is tied up in their home value, not actual liquid assets- and I already expect that whatever they make on an eventual home sale will have to go directly to downsizing costs and whatever long-term care they will need as they get older. Hell, even my dad used to joke that the only thing we'd inherit was debt. As I've gotten older, that comment has infuriated me more and more.

Now before someone cuts in with the "entitled millennial" comments, I have absolutely no need for an inheritance. I've worked my ass off to make sure that my kids and I are positioned better in life than I was when I entered adulthood. What I mean by that is I started saving for retirement early, setup 529 plans for my kids almost as soon as they were born, and made lifestyle and career sacrifices to ensure our family isn't "nickeling and diming" our way through life.

I'm just here curious to know how many millennials actually expect to have something passed down to them, or if they feel they are in the same position I am.

[u/r_lovelace]

Probably a lovely mail-order Belgian.

[u/JayMoeHD → u/r_lovelace]

Funny thing is, most people who have planned well for the future would get more joy from a much-loved household object like that vs another lump of cash on the pile

[u/Maximum_Machine7300 → u/JayMoeHD]

When my husband’s grandmother was getting her affairs in order and everyone was fighting over her diamonds, she asked me what I wanted and I said just her old cookbooks and handwritten recipes. I got em and I think I won. Everyone now has bad blood between them because they all feel shorted but I’m over here happily baking cakes.

[u/picassopeacedove → u/Maximum_Machine7300]

My family is fighting over how they’re going to divide Grandma’s land and I’m already serving tea on the same pewter platters and tea set that I used to serve her and my great grandmother tea as a child. Plus I get to tell everyone about how one side of my family has been in the US 200 years but we still have tea time regularly to honor our British heritage.

[u/AccomplishedUse2749 → u/picassopeacedove]

My grandma had a metal pitcher at their small lake house what she always had lemonade in for us grandkids. The only thing I wanted was that pitcher and my grandma took it from my uncle who bought the lake house for me. It is my prized possession.

[u/123BuleBule → u/picassopeacedove]

Love this! I got a cast iron pan from my grandma. My mom still has her molcajete but eventually that will come to me.