An inheritor is a person who receives any amount of money – from $100 to $100 million – because of their relationship to the giver, not their own work to produce the money. There is nothing inherently wrong with an inheritance. Solomon, the ancient king of Israel – reputed as being the wisest man to every live – said, “Wisdom along with an inheritance is a good thing.”
I’d say its more than an good thing… it’s essential. Many who are planning on giving or leaving an inheritance simply think of the amount they are capable of distributing, but this hardly scratches the surface.
In this MSN article, an inheritor shares her story of the impact money had on her personally and her lifestyle.
If the dominating thoughts about inheritance are financially related, you’re only dealing with 10% of the decision at most. In this story, you’ll see that the issues of personal value, work ethic, self-esteem, confidence, independence, family values and life purpose are far more significant factors.
Your family will thank you for going deeper. And if you don’t know where to begin, then seek out a specialist with a track record of helping other families think through the issues, someone who has a proven process for getting at wealth matters beyond the money, and an author on the subject.