Some clients are concerned about leaving substantial amounts of money to their children. They feel that they worked hard for their money, and they don't like the idea of their children being handed money without doing anything to earn it. This is understandable, but at the same time, it is important to think about your children's future. Maybe right now, they seem to be irresponsible with money or lack the career motivation you had that got you to where you are now. However, there are ways to make sure that they still live a professionally fulfilling life and still allow you to leave your estate to them down the road.
One option is to not allow them access to their inheritance until later in life—such as at retirement age (65). This way, they have already worked their entire life and made a living for themselves, but the money you pass along to them can help them relax about their retirement and later years of life. Since people are living longer nowadays, some retirement plans just won't cut it to cover their living expenses until death. Unexpected things such as illness can come up and quickly drain the funds that they worked so hard to save.
While many people don't feel comfortable telling their children exactly how much they will inherit from their estate, it is still a good idea to let them know that you plan to take care of them as best as you can so that they don't need to stress so much about planning for their retirement. It is recommended to have family meetings to discuss these topics every so often so that everyone is informed and on the same page. You don't have to, and shouldn't, hand over your life savings today (you may need this money for your own needs), but there's no question that your children will appreciate your financial help in the future once you are no longer around to enjoy the money that you worked so hard for.