Money Moral Dilemma: Should I leave different amounts to my grandchildren in my will?

primrose_penguin

I would leave your Grandchildren equal shares. Unfortunately money is the cause of so many arguments in families and I am sure you would not want your Children and Grandchildren to be left with hurt feelings after your death. By leaving them the same amount of money each you are showing you loved them equally. If however during your lifetime some of your Grandchildren are more helpful to you than others you can always give them a little reward or treat at the time for their help, although I do think families should help each other without expecting to get something for it. 

diamosuk

I've always thought money flows down through the generations, so I wouldn't skip a generation and, potentially, leave my own children without.

Like my parents, and my wife's parents did, I will be leaving all my money to my children.

My grandchildren will get their inheritance, through the natural order of things, when their parents pass.

I can still help them out and spoil them while I'm still alive.

Thrugelmir

diamosuk said:

I've always thought money flows down through the generations,

History is littered with stories of fortunes frittered away. People differ in their attitudes to money. 

crmism

Differentiating between legatees causes nothing but disharmony in my experience, but if you really want to go ahead with that you should make it clear in your will why you have favoured some grandchildren and not the others - and that could lead to even more disharmony.

It's up to you, of course, but why not share the money out equally, as it's not the kids' fault that their parents are more or less wealthy than those of their cousins?

insert_random_name_here

Which grandchild laughed the most at "Pull my finger"? That's the one who gets the most money IMHO. 

Seriously though you're creating a world of pain and rivalry if you give them anything other than equal amounts. 

The only time you would leave one set of grandchildren more than another is if their parents pre-deceased you - and you should cater for this in your will if you want your inheritance to go to your grandchildren and not your dead child's partner. 

So, for example if you had two children each of whom had two children (i.e. you have four grandchildren) and your will was 30% to each of your children and 10% to each of your grandchildren; then you would be entirely justified leaving your child's share to your grandchildren (15% + their original 10%) should your child pre-decease you. In this case your legacy after death would be child #1 30%, grandchild #1 10%, grandchild #2 10%, grandchild #3 25%, grandchild #4 25%.