"Vestiges of what we amassed and who we were remain, but not in the form of offspring we did not have. Let's start by following the money. The Federal Reserve estimates the average net worth of a couple with no kids is $1,867,480, compared to $1,151,730 for a couple with kids. Finances tell only part of the story. Women without kids enjoy better health and fewer disabilities than women with kids."
"While we can fret over the details of estate planning, our money does have the power to change lives. We can leave some to siblings, nieces, nephews, sure. We can also bestow some to organizations and people who support efforts we care about. At the intersection of age and not having kids sits the demographic most likely to leave money to charity."
Genetic lines can end, leaving material and personal legacies but not biological descendants. Couples without children typically have higher average net worth than couples with children, according to Federal Reserve estimates. Women without children generally experience better health and fewer disabilities. People without offspring face choices about estate distribution and existential questions about remembrance and purpose. Childless older Americans are disproportionately likely to establish charitable estate plans and to leave money to nonprofit causes. Philanthropic vehicles include donor-advised funds, scholarships, family foundations, land conservation, and building projects. Small donor-advised funds allow grantmaking during life and designation of successors to continue giving after death.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]