Inheritance Concerns of the Wealthy

Barclays Wealth recently conducted a survey of over 2,000 high-net-worth individuals in twenty countries; each individual surveyed had over $1.5 million investable assets. The survey revealed the inheritance concerns of affluent individuals. Some of the survey’s findings are below:

• 34% of those surveyed either did not trust their children with an inheritance or expressed ambivalence about the topic.
• 96% planned to leave their fortune to their children.
• 70% expected to give their inheritance in equal shares to beneficiaries.
• 23% did not have a will.
• 40% had been involved in a family argument, often concerning succession and wealth transfer issues.

See Paul Wilson, Wealthy Americans Don’t Trust Heirs with Inheritance: Survey, Producers Web, Nov. 16, 2011.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (WealthCounsel) for bringing this article to my attention.