My Mom Wants To Spend Her Millions Before She Dies, But My Brother And I Are Broke. Do We Deserve An Inheritance?
My Mom Wants To Spend Her Millions Before She Dies, But My Brother And I Are Broke. Do We Deserve An Inheritance?
Moneywise Mon, January 19, 2026
Isabella and Lorenzo are siblings who have faced financial difficulties throughout adulthood. Both are in their 30s — Isabella’s a divorced mom of three, Lorenzo’s a married father of two — and they’re barely making ends meet. Let’s say they have only a few thousand dollars in savings between them.
Their 65-year-old mother, however, has not faced such challenges.
She inherited a home and a substantial amount of money when her own mother died, making her a multi-millionaire, and she was also the beneficiary of a life insurance policy when her husband (Isabella and Lorenzo’s father) passed away five years ago. After her husband died, the mother sold the family home, which had greatly appreciated in value since they bought it 40 years ago.
That’s why Isabella was shocked when, on a recent phone call, her mother told her that she planned to spend every cent she had before she died — leaving nothing in her will to her two children. Her mother said she wanted to enjoy her golden years to the fullest and had crafted a “die with zero” budget that would ensure she spent all her money.
Isabella thinks their mom is being selfish, while Lorenzo is worried she’s being reckless. Should the siblings confront their mother about her retirement plans?
Reasons Not To Leave Your Children An Inheritance
While the mother said that she was not leaving her children an inheritance because she wanted to enjoy her money while she was alive, there are other reasons parents may not want to leave their children any inheritance.
Some may choose not to leave their adult children an inheritance because they believe it will make them more self-sufficient, encouraging them to maintain a strong work ethic rather than develop an attitude of entitlement.
Some billionaires have famously declared that they won’t leave their substantial fortune to their children.
Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of the late Steve Jobs, intends to pass on her estimated $14.9 billion to charity. Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan have set up the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for research and intend to give 99% of their Meta shares away. Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have also famously stated that their children should make their own way in the world, with Gates noting, “leaving kids massive amounts of money is not a favor to them (1).”
Parents may also worry that their adult children will not be able to manage the money they inherit, perhaps even believing their children will squander what they worked so hard to pass on. Concerns about whether an adult child’s spouse will have access to the inheritance, especially if their relationship is not stable, are another reason parents may think twice about leaving an inheritance.
While Isabella and Lorenzo are their mother’s only children, and their mother has not remarried since their father’s death, some parents may choose not to leave inheritances for fear that it might cause family strife. This can include not only infighting among siblings, but also between step-parents and children over who inherits what.
But if you’re considering putting all of your savings towards retirement and leaving nothing for your family, you may want to consider life insurance as a half-measure. That way, your kids won’t be stuck with hefty funeral costs or other end-of-life expenses when you pass on with an empty bank account.
TO READ MORE: https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/mom-wants-spend-her-millions-180000506.html