Here's a hypothetical question:

[onlyadream]

You have 2 kids, a slacker and a workerbee. They grow up and the workerbee is successful and has 2 kids (lives in a good house, has good cars, etc), the slacker however is not successful and also has 2 kids (lives in a small apartment, has a clunker for a car). You're making your will; do you give more to the slacker because he/she needs it to put a roof overhead or do you split it 50/50?

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Oh, God. Split it 50/50 unless you want them to hate each other.

[City of Mills]

2. 50/50

I've been on my own since 18, struggling but making it. My sister's lived at home her whole life very comfortably. If my parents decide to leave us anything, I'd be OK with 50/50. Honestly, I don't care what they'd leave me, I'd just be sad that they weren't around.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. My inlaws left my SIL everything.

My husband got nothing and we have three kids. SIL lives at home, no family, etc. The only thing we got was a bill for burying my FIL.

It caused an unbelievable problem. You can't imagine.

[Bucky]

6. Shit, if my folks dropped the bundle on me, I'm certain I'd split it anyway.

I'm sure my sister would do the same.

[Midlodemocrat]

7. Well, the house alone is worth about $700,000

Not to mention the CDs, et al.

Even a portion of that would come in handy. We've got one in college and one getting ready to go. It sure ain't cheap.

[onlyadream]

8. That's awful!

In your case, you also need the money, but what if you really didn't...you could swing the college tuition and still be comfortable, but your sister had nothing. Do you think your parents should leave more to her?


Example: Bill Gates's parents - should they leave him ANYTHING, or give it to Pete, his little brother who never amounted to anything and lives in a mobile home. (Pete is fictitious, BTW).

[leeroysphitz]

13. Now who's being naive?

:P

[Bucky]

4. Hmmm, in this hypothetical, am I millionaire who's just married a 22 year old stripper?

Also, do I have any cats I can leave it all to, just to spite 'em all?

[crimsonblue]

5. Solution 3:

spend it all so that everyone is equally pissed at you. :D

[City of Mills]

9. I encourage my folks to do that all the time

They earned it, they should enjoy it. We'll be fine! The more you have, the more you have to lose.

[Jamastiene]

20. Mommy?

[blogslut]

10. I only have one child

And I am leaving her a can of gasoline and a book of matches. I've done the sorting-through-a-dead-relatives-possessions thing too many times. Torch it. Torch it all.

[Chemical Bill]

11. Leave it all to the workerbee.

The workerbee knows how to handle money, the slacker would just spend it all. Or set up a trust to buy an apartment house to put up the slacker, and maybe share some of the interest. There are seldom only two choices....

Bill

[Fire Walk With Me]

12. Give it all to the slacker. Stop sending messages that hard work is something we should all do.

;)

[applegrove]

14. You always split it 50/50. And if you have no kids you give it to charity or to nieces and nefews

(but only if they need it).

[Dappleganger]

15. Spend it all!

Whatever is left give it to charity.

[flvegan]

16. I do so wish this was in GD.

Watching them fight like Spartans over how your bequest should be taxed to the teeth would prove entertaining on this fine Thursday.

[redqueen]

18. +1

[MissMillie]

17. 50/50

but put the slacker's half in some sort of trust where someone you know and trust can help him/her manage it.

[onlyadream]

19. That's a good idea...haven't thought of that one,.

[elleng]

21. 50/50

unless you also want to 'will' grievance forever.

[Iggo]

22. Even Steven.

Treat 'em equal in all the big things.

(It's the little things where they get special attention.)

[pokerfan]

23. What if there were no hypothetical questions?

:)

(50/50 split.)

[jmm]

24. Leave it to the grandkids.

The workerbee won't need it. If the slacker really is a slacker then they most likely won't use it properly. Since they each have two kids it's not like they can say you aren't splitting it evenly.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

25. 50/50. Do not overthink this. Because, trust me THEY will. n/t