Your children may have expectations about what they want to inherit.

Parents know each child is unique.

Even if there are certain similarities in interests or physical appearance, siblings have different priorities, strengths, and personalities.

As a parent, navigating the specific needs of each child can be challenging.

According to a recent Entrepreneur article titled “12 Things Your Kids Actually Might Want to Inherit,” knowing what is important to adult children can help with estate planning.

Quality furniture is often something adult children will appreciate inheriting.

When writing a last will and testament or preparing a revocable living trust, it is helpful to have a list of all your assets.

Once you have a list, you will need to decide who will inherit each item when you die.

Your children may have strong attachments to certain items or have greater need for specific assets.

They also may not want to inherit items you find of value.

Like your ceramic bullfrog collection.

What are common assets adult children would like to inherit?

Cash money.

Cash is uncomplicated.

It matches all eye colors and every body shape.

Speaking of "figures," it is easy to divide and distribute.

Your children can use inherited cash to purchase real estate, invest in stocks, or start a business.

Annuities.

Annuities have tax benefits and can be easily used to supply additional income.

This income can be helpful in paying monthly bills.

When annuities are created as a multi-life annuity, it is possible to choose whether payments are made for life or for a set time period.

Recipes.

Food engages a variety of senses with its flavors, textures, and aromas.

By compiling a family cookbook, your heirs can continue to enjoy the taste of home for generations.

Family Photos.

Family photos are important means of capturing and sharing family history.

Although organizing these can help your loved ones more easily know what they are viewing, keeping these photos safe is important.

To do so, be sure to store them in a water-proof bin.

It can even be helpful to digitize them by scanning them into a computer.

Better yet, retain the services of a professional.

In the Kansas City area that would be Tim at Truth on Tape.

He has converted generations of our photos, videos (of all formats!), reel to reel recordings, and cassette tapes to editable, digital formats.

What a gift to share with family.

Trusts.

With a trust, you can simplify the distribution of assets to your heirs.

With a trust, you can provide more detailed instructions regarding who receives distributions, let alone when and how.

Parameters can be set around how the money is to be used.

Some people limit money to payments for a home or for college.

The trustee you appoint will be responsible for following your instructions.

Because a funded revocable living trust bypasses probate, your children will be able to inherit without having to wait for probate to be completed.

Furniture.

With a trend toward inexpensive furniture from places like IKEA, more young adults are finding quality furniture to be their preference.

Good furniture is expensive and inheriting key pieces can help them furnish their home with memories and quality.

Vinyl Records. 

Records are can have sentimental value even if they are not in pristine condition.

Your children may have happy memories with your collection, even those snap, crackle, and pops while playing Smoke on the Water on your "Machine Head" album.

If you do have pristine records, they may be able to find additional value as collectibles.

Life Insurance.

With a life insurance policy, you can leave money to take care of the needs of your loved ones when you die.

These are oftentimes passed through beneficiary designations rather than through a last will and testament or revocable living trust.

Consulting with an experienced estate planning attorney is helpful when ensuring your designations align with your comprehensive estate plan.

Real Estate.

Real estate is an investment.

After all, that is what Lucy wants for Christmas.

Generally, real estate grows in value.

After all, they are not making any more of it!

Whether it is a primary residence or a vacation home, it can also hold family memories and history.

A Business.

An established family business can provide income for heirs.

Whether you plan to pass the business to your children or need to sell it, succession planning is essential.

How do you know the best option?

If your children are involved in the business, it may be a good option to pass the management and ownership on to them.

If none of your children is capable of taking over when you retire, you should likely sell the business.

Investment Accounts.

Your children can inherit bonds, stocks, or other investments.

Like cash, these can be fairly simple to divide among multiple heirs.

Education Funds.

If your children or grandchildren will be attending college, you can begin a College Savings 529 Account for each of them.

This can reduce the stress of taking out student loans and can provide more career options to your loved ones.

As you can see, there are many options when it comes to leaving an inheritance.

Work with an experienced estate planning attorney to create a plan for the distribution of your valuable and sentimental property to your children.

Reference: Entrepreneur (Oct. 30, 2022) “12 Things Your Kids Actually Might Want to Inherit”