Inheritance when one child has kids, the other does not

[Anonymous]

I have three kids. Sister has two.

We will receive the same, and were told this at an appropriate age so that we could plan our lives accordingly. It will not be an enormous amount. I don’t have any issues with this. I respect that my parents can do as they choose with their money, and am grateful they are passing money to us.

The choice to have three children was mine. Her kids might be a little more secure down the road, but that is a reflection of the choices we each made.

[Anonymous]

You're leaving money to your children, not your grandchildren. It should be even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're leaving money to your children, not your grandchildren. It should be even.

Agree. But if your intent is to leave any money to your grandchildren, then do it directly. DH's grandparents left money to their children to then leave to the grandchildren. DH only learned recently that all the gifts his parents were making to him were from the grandparents. He is grateful for them, yet also thinks it's weird that his parents presented them as if they were from them, not the prior generation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you're lucky enough to have an estate--can give equal amounts to each child and separate amounts to each grandchild. They all get acknowledged as the people they are.

This is what I will do with my modest (by dcum standards) estate. I do want my potential grandchildren to have something.

But my parents aren't doing that, for whatever reason. It's all going to sibling and I. I have the only grandkids and they are really close to my parent/s (one just passed). I don't think it's an intentional thing, it's just how the family has always done. I will gift some to my kids upon my parent's passing-but I don't talk about it now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give equal amounts to both of your adult children. Then also have a separate amount of money to be distributed equally among the grandkids.

So, maybe split your inheritance 40-40-20. Each of your kids getting 40% of your inheritance, and the grandkids divvying up the 20%.

In my family we give a portion to each adult child and then a portion split between adult grandchildren. Adult grandchildren are out of the house and are responsible for themselves financially, so they aren't getting as much financial benefit from the parents. Minor children share in the portion given to their parents.

That’s not as savy as you think. The adult children have already had more investment into them, because they are older. If the parents die, the minor children will need to become adults and also share their parents’ money with the adult children. So the adult children will end up getting more, when they’re adults and can fend for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Assuming we are talking about a sizeable sum here - open and fully fund grandkids' college funds.

Then divide what remains evenly between children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Assuming we are talking about a sizeable sum here - open and fully fund grandkids' college funds.

Then divide what remains evenly between children.

Nope…give each kid the same regardless
Of children.

Since most adults will pay for their kids’ college, this is just indirectly giving one adult child hundreds of thousands of dollars more.

Fund the grandkids to pass $$&s when alive but reduce what the adult child by same amount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming we are talking about a sizeable sum here - open and fully fund grandkids' college funds.

Then divide what remains evenly between children.

Nope…give each kid the same regardless
Of children.

Since most adults will pay for their kids’ college, this is just indirectly giving one adult child hundreds of thousands of dollars more.

Fund the grandkids to pass $$&s when alive but reduce what the adult child by same amount.

I would be so upset if my inheritance was lowered because I had more kids than my sibling. My sibling sees my parents every other year. Im here with them daily. My kids help them out a lot too- weeding, cleaning plus my kids spend a lot of time with them. I don’t think my kids deserve an inheritance but don’t think that grandparents get nothing out of grandkids. I think my kids are my parents purpose for living and their lives wouldn’t have been complete. Why should my inheritance be reduced?

[Anonymous]

Similar situation in my family. Parents decided to leave 100K to each grandchild and divide the remainder between the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Assuming we are talking about a sizeable sum here - open and fully fund grandkids' college funds.

Then divide what remains evenly between children.

Nope…give each kid the same regardless
Of children.

Since most adults will pay for their kids’ college, this is just indirectly giving one adult child hundreds of thousands of dollars more.

Fund the grandkids to pass $$&s when alive but reduce what the adult child by same amount.

I would be so upset if my inheritance was lowered because I had more kids than my sibling. My sibling sees my parents every other year. Im here with them daily. My kids help them out a lot too- weeding, cleaning plus my kids spend a lot of time with them. I don’t think my kids deserve an inheritance but don’t think that grandparents get nothing out of grandkids. I think my kids are my parents purpose for living and their lives wouldn’t have been complete. Why should my inheritance be reduced?

You inheritance isn't lowered. You and your sibling get the same. How you spend the inheritance is your choice, on your kids' college tuition or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Similar situation in my family. Parents decided to leave 100K to each grandchild and divide the remainder between the kids.

Sounds reasonable. Any sibling who creates a family rift over this was never going to be close anyway.

[Anonymous]

I plan to do a third to each of my 2 children and a third to split amongst the grandkids (in trust until they are 25).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Similar situation in my family. Parents decided to leave 100K to each grandchild and divide the remainder between the kids.

Sounds reasonable. Any sibling who creates a family rift over this was never going to be close anyway.

Agreed. Makes a nice contribution to a college fund or house downpayment without going crazy. And a kid who invests that money will be very happy to have done so down the road.

[Anonymous]

If you died without a will or trust, assuming you do not have a surviving spouse, in most states, your property would be divided equally between both children. If your child with kids predeceases you, your property would go 50% to the surviving child and 50% to the surviving grandchildren, divided equally amongst them.

[Anonymous]

I would do 50/50. My parents are skipping their children and going straight to their grandchildren (which is fine, we're all pretty established and the oldest grandchild is almost 30).