MetroBoston publication date September 25, 2013
By Attorney George Warshaw
The answer depends not only on your personal philosophy but whether you are the one inheriting or giving.
More people these days are considering whether it is better to leave all or a sizeable portion of one’s money and property to a charity rather than one’s children.
A frequently asked question is whether an inheritance will help one’s children in some important way or provide an incentive to do little or nothing with their lives, personal growth, or career development.
Frankly, too many children of wealthy or financially well-off families seem to do far less with their lives while waiting for an inheritance and become hostile later on when they don’t believe they received enough.
In my view, the number one purpose of earning money and acquiring assets over a lifetime is to take care of oneself first and foremost. What you leave to your children afterwards is something you earned. That point should be emphasized to one’s children.
Many believe today that the best estate plans remove the cost burden of education and medical expenses for one’s children or grandchildren, provide support where needed and incentives to do more with their lives.
More next week.
© 2013 George Warshaw. George Warshaw is a well-known attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, litigates real estate matters, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions.
If you missed my column in the Wednesday Boston®Metro newspaper you can read it here! And contact me if you need help in buying or selling your home or in planning your will. - George
George in the Metro 
Interesting topic! I believe no one should ever expect an inheritance, it is a gift.
But in the same breath, I believe parents should try to leave something for their children and grandchildren. Not so much that they are in a position to have mindless, pointless lives because they have more money than they know what to do with….but enough that worrying about where their next meal comes from is no longer a possibility.