Families Hire Therapists to Navigate Inheritance Disputes
As a historic U.S. wealth transfer unfolds, some families are enlisting therapists to ease tension and preserve relationships during estate planning.
Amid what experts describe as the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in American history, a growing number of families are turning to mental health professionals for help managing the emotional and relational fallout that often accompanies the passing of assets.
Inheritances, even when distributed equitably, can expose long-simmering family tensions — over fairness, favoritism, and the meaning attached to money and possessions. Financial advisers and estate attorneys have long handled the legal and logistical dimensions of estate planning, but therapists are increasingly being brought in to address the human dimension.
Read more Advanced Vehicle Tech Is Pushing Auto Repair Costs Higher →
The approach reflects a broader recognition that wealth transfer is not solely a legal or financial event. Decisions about who receives what can reopen old wounds, shift family power dynamics, and create rifts that outlast the estate settlement process itself. Therapists working in this space help families communicate expectations before a death occurs, reducing the likelihood of conflict after.
The stakes are significant. Researchers and financial institutions have projected that tens of trillions of dollars will pass between generations over the coming decades, making the psychological dimensions of inheritance a matter of growing practical concern for planners and families alike.
Continue reading at NYT > Business
