“Leave children enough so they can do anything, but not enough that they can do nothing.”
Warren Buffet’s words capture a truth often overlooked. Transferring wealth is simple; ensuring someone is ready to manage it responsibly is much more complex.
You devote years of your life working, saving and investing, striving to build a legacy that outlives you and gives your children a meaningful head start.
But that intention is colliding with a new reality. Younger Australians are struggling with money more than ever, with 62% of young women and 48% of young men feeling overwhelmed by financial decisions.
That sits in stark contrast with the A$5.4 trillion in wealth many are set to inherit, which raises an uncomfortable but necessary question: Are my children actually ready to inherit?
Readiness is not about age. It is about confidence, judgement and the ability to maintain composure when the stakes are high. These skills are not innate. They need to be taught, practiced and reinforced over time.
Yet too often, families only spot these gaps once the paperwork is signed and responsibility falls on heirs who have never been tested. By then, the consequences can be costly.
That’s why assessing readiness early isn’t just sensible - it’s fundamental. The right questions can reveal blind spots before they become a problem and give families time to build capability long before the money changes hands.
Before any wealth moves to the next generation, here are six questions every parent should ask themselves:
1. Do they have the right attitude?
Attitude shapes every financial decision that follows.
Look for humility, curiosity and respect for the effort that created the wealth in question. These traits are far more predictive of long-term success than technical skill.
If an heir sees the inheritance as a fuel for opportunity, rather than a shortcut or entitlement, they’re more likely to preserve – not deplete – what you’ve built.
2. Are they stable and self-reliant in their own life?
Wealth amplifies a person’s underlying habits.
If your children can manage work, bills, relationships and day-to-day responsibilities without intervention, an inheritance could strengthen an already-stable foundation.
But if they’re relying on the promise of future wealth as a Plan A, rather than support for Plan B, more preparation is needed to instil discipline.
3. Do they understand and live by the family’s core values?
Money brings opportunity, but values give direction.
If your children understand why the wealth exists – what your family stands for, what it rejects and how it defines ‘enough’ – they will be better equipped to make decisions aligned with legacy.
Without this anchor, wealth can drift into spending, conflict or directionless choices.
4. Can they make decisions confidently and without constant validation?
Managing wealth rests on one skill above all; the ability to make sound choices – to exercise independent judgement and to know where specialist guidance can lead to a better outcome.
An heir must also strengthen their own decision-making muscle: learning to weigh competing options and commit to a path, so their engagement with expert financial advice becomes genuinely collaborative.
If your child needs reassurance for every financial choice or freezes without direction, they’ll likely feel overwhelmed by the pressure and ambiguity that come with substantial wealth.
5. Are they prepared for the risks that come with inheriting significant wealth?
Significant wealth attracts attention, and not all of it is welcome.
Heirs need the judgement to recognise when something feels off, whether it’s a scam, a pushy investment pitch, a manipulative relationship or someone trying to exert influence for their own gain. That ‘street smart’ instinct is a critical form of protection.
If your children already show an ability to pause, think things through and seek a second opinion in other areas of life, that’s an encouraging sign. Good decision-making often starts with slowing down, assessing the situation and choosing deliberately.
6. Are they financially literate, and do they know the difference between lifestyle money and long-term capital?
They don’t need to be investment experts, but they do need to understand the fundamentals: compounding, inflation, spending rules, taxation, risk and time horizons.
Most importantly, they must understand the boundary between everyday spending and capital that must last for decades.
With around 45% of Australian adults struggling with basic financial concepts, it’s important to be realistic about where your children sit. If they’re not confident now, focused education and guidance can make all the difference.
A successful wealth transfer isn’t about how much you leave, but how confidently the next generation can stand on their own two feet. When young adults can shoulder responsibility, make sound decisions and seek guidance wisely, wealth becomes a launchpad for their lives rather than a burden handed to them too soon.
Bruce Kluk is the Founder and Director of Principal Edge Financial Services. Also contributing to this article was Marshall Brentnall, Principle Edge’s Chief Investment Officer and Director.