Tony, I'm having a hard time with a kid not being happy about getting $500,000.00 tax free dollars.

These "kids" are 45, 40 and 37 years old. And, they still come to dad often for "bailouts" and other financial help.

I may also give each boy a rental house in the $125,000.00 range if they keep it as an investment for at least 10 years.

Maybe that will teach them about taking care of property and the costs and headaches associated with ownership.

I watched my dear father-in-law work his whole life. None of his spoiled kids ever learned to support him/herself, tried to get "inheritance money" early (before he passed) and asked for "a little help" until the day the poor man died.

I don't think he did them any long-term favors. When he knew he couldn't manage his financial affairs, he asked me to do it, not one of his natural kids. He told me he didn't think he could count on them to "do it right".

The more I think of it, I'm not warm to the idea of creating three "instant millionaires".

They need to learn to earn it themselves, or they need to reach a point in life where they're happy and productive at a level that works for them.

After all, it's not like I plan to leave them destitute.

Average individual new worth in 2012 is around $78,000.00. Each will have over 5 times that much, plus whatever they have accumulated.


Russ