Your parents just booked another cruise; they’re talking about spending three weeks in Europe next summer, and you’re quietly doing the math on what all that travel is costing. Maybe you’ve even caught yourself thinking, “They’re spending my inheritance.” It’s an uncomfortable thought, but plenty of families eventually confront some version of this conflict as parents enjoy retirement while their adult children worry about what will be left behind. Those concerns aren’t entirely unreasonable, especially when future medical care and long-term financial security remain uncertain, but parents spending inheritance isn’t really the right way to describe what’s happening. Until that money actually becomes an inheritance, it belongs to your parents, and the more useful question may be whether they can afford the lifestyle they’re choosing.
