Different Age Beneficiary Allocation

[KenZ71]

Is there a somewhat logical way to allocate among beneficiaries of different ages?

Planning to leave assets to two children who are 4 years apart in age. So it seems logical to give the older one a bit more since he has less time to accumulate more earnings. Right?

Although I could imagine younger siblings might say they have more time to spend it so they should get more

So - any ideas on how to allocate?

 

[audreyh1]

Don’t have children but I always gift evenly to my siblings and they will inherit evenly regardless of age differences.

 

[RunningBum]

Planning to leave assets to two children who are 4 years apart in age. So it seems logical to give the older one a bit more since he has less time to accumulate more earnings. Right?

Although I could imagine younger siblings might say they have more time to spend it so they should get more

You laugh but the 2nd part makes more sense to me than the first.

I only have one kid but if I had more I'd leave them the same, unless there were special needs circumstances. By that I mean physical or mental challenges that will require more money and/or limit their earnings.

 

[Alan]

There is no way I would divide up the inheritance between children based only on age.

 

[Souschef]

My sons are 3 years apart and DW's are 7 years apart. Everything will be divided equally.
YMMV

 

[Aerides]

I wouldn't argue the older one has "less time to accumulate" any more than I would care that they have already HAD more time to do just that.

Even it out.

 

[haha]

Is there a somewhat logical way to allocate among beneficiaries of different ages?

Planning to leave assets to two children who are 4 years apart in age. So it seems logical to give the older one a bit more since he has less time to accumulate more earnings. Right?

Although I could imagine younger siblings might say they have more time to spend it so they should get more

So - any ideas on how to allocate?

no, make it equal nominally or things won't work well.

Ha

 

[Dash man]

We’re splitting things evenly, even though they are seven years apart and opposites when it comes to finances.

 

[Big_Hitter]

So - any ideas on how to allocate?

yes, allocate based on life expectancy

 

[kaudrey]

Agree with the others - 50/50.

 

[joeea]

Planning to leave assets to two children who are 4 years apart in age. So it seems logical to give the older one a bit more since he has less time to accumulate more earnings. Right?

Giving more to someone who is 4 years older makes no sense to me.

So - any ideas on how to allocate?

The obvious choice is equal allocations. I don't understand the desire to do differently.

 

[Doribe]

Even Steven

 

[gwraigty]

I agree with everyone who says to leave money evenly. It's not right to do otherwise, for so many reasons.

Most important, how would you like to be the child who got less because of something beyond your control?

 

[KenZ71]

Appreciate the comments.

Kids are 15 & 11 so I somewhat thought by giving a bit more to the older one he would be able to pay for about the same % of college bills vs his brother since market returns should normalize.

Of course it's only 4 years so it won't matter much.

This is assuming I & wife have an untimely demise prior to kiddos completing college. Once they are done with Education things, hopefully change.

 

[mpeirce]

Appreciate the comments.

Kids are 15 & 11 so I somewhat thought by giving a bit more to the older one he would be able to pay for about the same % of college bills vs his brother since market returns should normalize.

Of course it's only 4 years so it won't matter much.

Since our DD is done with college and DS was not, we have a clause in the will that basically says that since DD already had college paid for, DS was entitled to college expenses and THE REST of the assets would be split equally.

DS will be done in less than a year and then it'll revert to 50/50.

 

[RunningBum]

Invest in a 529 for each of them so that's not a factor.

 

[Koolau]

We plan to gift to the kids while we are still living and leave almost everything to our favorite charities when we die. Currently, we are "uneven" between the kids because of their different needs. We "plan" to "square" everything eventually, but it isn't a huge priority. We'd rather help the one who needs it most than be "equal" though "equal" is our eventual goal if we should live so long. To us, age has nothing to do with it, but YMMV.

 

[brett]

Equal distribution unless of course one needs some money prior to our demise.

Somewhat unequal for our grandchildren but only because of age and because only one of our children is married with children. They get $100K each (current number that will increase) for post secondary education.

If they do not use it for this purpose they do not get the money until they are 28 years old-3 years apart. There is also a pooled education fund that they can draw from as required-not allocated to one or the other. Depending on what path they follow and any tax issues in is quite conceivable that they will draw unevenly from this fund.