I never expected to inherit anything from my folks, and didn't care if I did. I figured that whatever they had socked away would be used up if either or both went into a nursing home.
They both lived to 92, and fortunately were "out of it" for just a few months each before they passed. They left each of the sons a pretty good chunk of money, but I'd rather have them alive and spending it.
I have somethings coming and somethings I want. Money isn't important and any money I end up with isn't going to be much.
But things like, Dad's gun collection, Grandma June's desk, some of Aunt Elizabeth's furniture (yes, I was named after her) items of emotioanl value and ... Touchstones of those generations that came before me.
If I can't have them, I, at least, would like a reminder of them, to hopefully pass down.
But too think I wouldn't need to save, in order to retire because my parents are going to die off? Ha!
I think this upcoming generation has yet to understand the impacts of modern medicine on the elderly. Their parents are likely going to still be going strong when they reach retirement age, and that is also going to drop the evential amounts they would have inhertited in the first place (which probably wouldn't have been enough to begin with) Old people are 'spensive.
My mom just turned 60. My Grandma is in her late 90's. I'm 28. You do the math.
Even without the current finacial climate (which is suckage) people are just living longer and longer, and that cost money. Back when lifespans where shorter, it was reasonable to expect some accumulated wealth would trickle down through generations at a predictable rate, just because you could actually accumulate more then you could spend in a lifetime. Our funtional (money earning) lifespan has increased, but not nearly as much as our total lifespan. People are more often running out of money before they die, rather then having some left over.
