I’d fully fund 529s and start investment accounts for the grandkids NOW.

Give steadily to those if you are able. Then, split your estate evenly between both your children.

Anonymous wrote:If one of your adult children has kids, and the other is childfree, would that affect how you complete your will/ inheritance?

What if the one with kids is dual income should they get less? It should be 50/50 regardless of children, it's your mom not the grandkids mom

Anonymous wrote:Ours will be divided in three. Grandchildren are handled with 529 plan contributions and annual gifts. Our three children know exactly what the plan is. Each of our kids also gets a very nice annual cash gift regardless of family size.

Nice that you give them annual gifts. My parents also did this for me a few years. They were not very rich, but very generous and lived for us kids. What size gift do you give?

I don't get the even split to kids, regardless of grandkids. It should be even split per person. Doing otherwise implicitly counts grandkids as chattel or some kind of property, imo.

My parents have 10k going to each grandchild. The rest is evenly split between their 3 children. This way it doesn't matter if someone has more children or zero children. Also, in our family one sibling married well (family name a house hold name) and makes loads of money, the other 2 are just UMC. The one with more money also has more kids. I still think it's fair. (I probably have the least money).

I plan to give to each one equally. The one without kids may need the money more in older age than the one with kids.

Equal.

Ours will be divided in three. Grandchildren are handled with 529 plan contributions and annual gifts. Our three children know exactly what the plan is. Each of our kids also gets a very nice annual cash gift regardless of family size.

I’m one of three and the only one to have a child. My child is the only grandchild. My parents are splitting it evenly three ways. That is the only way to be fair.

If I was given more because I had birthed the grandchild, I’d feel like it was an award for breeding. And I wouldn’t be happy that my parents passing would cause a rift between me and my siblings.

I think it is better to spend money now on any grandchildren and not tell the child(ran) who don't have kids. Give money toward a college fund, pay for private school, summer camp, pay for music lessons or club sports.

An inheritance that isn't divided equally among children will be known by all and end up causing issues.

Really depends on what age you die and the age of children and grandchildren. Adjust accordingly if your children are 30 vs 50 vs 70 and if grandchildren are minors, young adults or middle aged.

If you are talking about your biological or adopted children and want to avoid drama after you pass, see what the default intestate distribution methodology is for your state. How you distribute in your will and/or trust should closely follow the default rule. If you would like your step children to receive something, that is when you deviate from the default rule.

Equal amount to each generation. If you want to leave money for the grandkids, put it in trust separate from the adult siblings, who get equal.

My brother has never married and doesn't have any children. I'm married with three DC. My mom's inheritance was split 50/50 between me and my brother.

My mother's only sibling was also childless - she had been married, but never had children. My mom was going to inherit her sister's estate but my mom passed first. My aunt left her estate 50/50 to me and my brother. Based on conversations, my brother has said he'll leave everything to me. If I pass before my brother, then his estate would go 33/33/33 to my three DC.

My sister does not have children and I'd rather my parents give it all to her rather than money poison our relationship in any way.