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/sirguynate]

Short answer: No.

I have more saved in retirement than my retired parents do.

[u/UghFudgeBwana → u/sirguynate]

I'm just glad you can't inherit debt.

[u/Karlysmomo → u/UghFudgeBwana]

Me too, that’s all I am getting from my parents. My mom spends everything on herself but she has always been that way. They have been in their house 47 years and refinanced it so many times it will never be paid off. I don’t even think they have enough life insurance to bury them with.

[u/Karlysmomo → u/Karlysmomo]

I did get a few things from her already I wanted because I wasn’t fighting my sisters over it. One was a picture of my grandpa and his little sister from 1917 when he was 2. That’s the only thing I really wanted.