When "equal to the penny" inheritance planning backfires
As seen on the 24/7 Wall St. homepage on November 3, 2026.
The truth is there is no 100% resentments proof plan. Everyone views things differently, and every situation is different. You won’t know until they’re all grown up what they’ll need. The hope is you raise your kids to be good people who care about each other and don’t concern themselves with fighting about who got what in terms of money. Focus on raising them well, and hopefully the rest follows.
A family with $12 million liquid wants to hand each child identical cash at fixed ages, and 97 commenters are pushing back that equal and fair are not the same thing. The planning trap worth noting: a fixed dollar gift at 23 buys far less for the youngest child than it did for the oldest.
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A parent with $12 million liquid wants predetermined, equal cash gifts at fixed ages, itemized to the penny so no child ever receives more than another.
The plan removes the parental discretion the author watched their own parents abuse, but commenters pushed back that equal and fair are not the same thing.
A corporate trustee noted that the same fixed dollar amount paid to a 25-year-old years apart carries meaningfully different buying power for a home or a wedding.
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The top comment argued that no plan is fully resentment-proof, since children's needs change in ways parents cannot predict.
Other commenters warned that a system built as a reaction to childhood financial trauma serves the author's peace of mind, with one urging the parent to set aside their past experience.