Three Steps Parents Can Use to Ready Kids for Future Inheritance

In an interview, Ken Polk, who runs Arlington Family Offices in Birmingham, Alabama, shares a three-step method for families to ready their offspring for future wealth. The first step focuses on building character, encouraging kids to identify desired traits and write letters to their future selves. The second step introduces financial discipline early, using a three-jar system for giving, saving, and spending, which his own children practiced from age six and later applied to bank accounts.

The third step involves a transparent conversation about the inheritance itself, typically between ages 19 and 22, supported by a legacy letter that explains the intended purpose of the assets. Polk emphasizes that parents must eventually let children make independent financial choices while preserving shared values.