Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:How do you define generational wealth?
Literally the term means when wealth (any money or real assets) are passed from one generation to the next. Any other definition is DCUM bs.
Generational wealth makes me think of family offices that are set up to last for many generations via third party management and limitations on each generation's access to the principal. I know of many in my line of work.
Agreed with both but I think OP is referring to serious wealth being transferred to one generation to the next and how far does that go. I'm from a family of serious wealth (Grandparents made a fortune and invested wisely). However, they lived nicely but below their means. They purchased real estate in places (Nantucket, Miami, Palm Beach) that was affordable in the 1960s and it's mostly stayed in the family. My Mother was one of 5 and they all followed different career choices- some had interest making it in business on their own and defining themselves and some pursued noble careers (My Aunt was a pubic school teacher for 30 years). However, they all had a serious net to fall back on and didn't really live on just the salaries that any of their careers offered but did NOT squander the money. Everyone had the determination to continue the generational wealth.
With my generation, there has mostly been this continuous thought that money is simply freedom and to be as practical as possible. I never cared about what job my boyfriends had, have pursued careers solely based on what I was good at and have never been that excited by material things. I also lived in affordable, modest apartments with inherited furniture. DH & I have a high HHI and wish to have generational wealth for our children so we only live off our earnings. In fact, many of my cousins and I speak about how we all live off our earnings and rarely if at all dip into our trusts due to wanting it for our children. It's the fact that it exists that gives you piece of mind.
Different PP here, and *this* is generational wealth, not "my parents paid for college and gave me $100k for a down payment on a house."
Never change, DCUM
Anonymous wrote:I think the three generations thing is wrong. It might be true in one branch. But by the third generation, you’re looking at a bunch of family units. Even if no one blows it all in Vegas, the wealth gets diluted by people having children even if they don’t spend any of it and invest it well. So it’s not “gone” but people may not be living like the original rich person.
When you have a really big fortune, like “family office” level, I don’t think it’s unusual at all for the benefits to continue for many, many generations. In America because of Wyoming and Delaware you can have huge trusts that basically pass from generation to generation without ever incurring estate taxes. The terms are like, 1000 years or something. Which is pretty messed up but that’s the world we live in.

Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:There’s a reason why generational wealth is usually gone after 3 generations.
Tbh the main reason is that it gets divided up a lot. Great-grandparents are wealthy, have 7 kids each inherit 1/7. Your grandparent has 6 kids, each inherit 1/6 of the original 1/7. Your parent has 4 kids, you inherit 1/4 of the 1/6 of the 1/7. Depending on when and where prior generations live, inheritance tax may have also taken a cut. Countering this is, of course, growth of the assets--but still the divisions take their toll.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:How do you define generational wealth?
Literally the term means when wealth (any money or real assets) are passed from one generation to the next. Any other definition is DCUM bs.
Generational wealth makes me think of family offices that are set up to last for many generations via third party management and limitations on each generation's access to the principal. I know of many in my line of work.
Agreed with both but I think OP is referring to serious wealth being transferred to one generation to the next and how far does that go. I'm from a family of serious wealth (Grandparents made a fortune and invested wisely). However, they lived nicely but below their means. They purchased real estate in places (Nantucket, Miami, Palm Beach) that was affordable in the 1960s and it's mostly stayed in the family. My Mother was one of 5 and they all followed different career choices- some had interest making it in business on their own and defining themselves and some pursued noble careers (My Aunt was a pubic school teacher for 30 years). However, they all had a serious net to fall back on and didn't really live on just the salaries that any of their careers offered but did NOT squander the money. Everyone had the determination to continue the generational wealth.
With my generation, there has mostly been this continuous thought that money is simply freedom and to be as practical as possible. I never cared about what job my boyfriends had, have pursued careers solely based on what I was good at and have never been that excited by material things. I also lived in affordable, modest apartments with inherited furniture. DH & I have a high HHI and wish to have generational wealth for our children so we only live off our earnings. In fact, many of my cousins and I speak about how we all live off our earnings and rarely if at all dip into our trusts due to wanting it for our children. It's the fact that it exists that gives you piece of mind.
Different PP here, and *this* is generational wealth, not "my parents paid for college and gave me $100k for a down payment on a house."
Anonymous wrote:There’s a reason why generational wealth is usually gone after 3 generations.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:How do you define generational wealth?
Literally the term means when wealth (any money or real assets) are passed from one generation to the next. Any other definition is DCUM bs.
Really? So when grandpa gives a grandkid $20, that's generational wealth? When a parent passes away and leaves $10,000 split between three heirs, that's generational wealth?
If that's really your position, all future conversations regarding generational wealth are pointless.
Anonymous wrote:Generational wealth seems to be a modern buzzword, it was rarely used prior a few years ago for the simple reason there are so many variations and definitions. Like PP, we're on the 5-6th generation of college educated, each generation was solidly comfortable, but no massive wealth or anything approaching it. What does it really mean? That each generation did provide advice, support, knowledge, family stability that allowed the next generation to establish itself.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:How do you define generational wealth?
Literally the term means when wealth (any money or real assets) are passed from one generation to the next. Any other definition is DCUM bs.
Generational wealth makes me think of family offices that are set up to last for many generations via third party management and limitations on each generation's access to the principal. I know of many in my line of work.
Agreed with both but I think OP is referring to serious wealth being transferred to one generation to the next and how far does that go. I'm from a family of serious wealth (Grandparents made a fortune and invested wisely). However, they lived nicely but below their means. They purchased real estate in places (Nantucket, Miami, Palm Beach) that was affordable in the 1960s and it's mostly stayed in the family. My Mother was one of 5 and they all followed different career choices- some had interest making it in business on their own and defining themselves and some pursued noble careers (My Aunt was a pubic school teacher for 30 years). However, they all had a serious net to fall back on and didn't really live on just the salaries that any of their careers offered but did NOT squander the money. Everyone had the determination to continue the generational wealth.
With my generation, there has mostly been this continuous thought that money is simply freedom and to be as practical as possible. I never cared about what job my boyfriends had, have pursued careers solely based on what I was good at and have never been that excited by material things. I also lived in affordable, modest apartments with inherited furniture. DH & I have a high HHI and wish to have generational wealth for our children so we only live off our earnings. In fact, many of my cousins and I speak about how we all live off our earnings and rarely if at all dip into our trusts due to wanting it for our children. It's the fact that it exists that gives you piece of mind.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:How do you define generational wealth?
Literally the term means when wealth (any money or real assets) are passed from one generation to the next. Any other definition is DCUM bs.
Generational wealth makes me think of family offices that are set up to last for many generations via third party management and limitations on each generation's access to the principal. I know of many in my line of work.
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:How do you define generational wealth?
Literally the term means when wealth (any money or real assets) are passed from one generation to the next. Any other definition is DCUM bs.