Well, the notably large generation born after WWII ended and the US focused again on civilian life again, and especially building the economy, accumulated a vast amount of wealth, and this wealth is, or will be in the fullness of time, transfered to people and institutions.
My father included me in his will, share and share alike, to my complete surprise, as I've said. My beloved sister died at 39, so this leaves my brother and me. I always just assumed, for various reasons, that he'd leave his estate to my brother. This is, in all modesty, a life changing amount of money, and such a blessing.
My aunt (going in birth order) has a net worth I would conservatively estimate at over 3 million. She has this quirk (and she really does) in that she considers her own nuclear family, her first cousins, and her ancestors to be her family. My mother's children are viewed as only an extension of my mother, and we "died" along with my mother. She had no children. She was physically unable to for a reason I was never told. Her treatment of me (in life) isn't rational but, of course, people aren't always rational. Moreover, of course, she had a perfect right, the same as anyone else, to execute her will. My guess is that she will donate most of it to FSU and the rest to animal welfare groups.
My uncle is the stereotypical (sorry) uncle people talk about when they talk about maybe they have a rich uncle without children who they hope (um, I know he's a real person, believe me) will leave them money (and I haven't spent a second let alone a minute hoping he would do any such thing, because I know him. He (not me) decided that we would be estranged for life after his mother died. I called the my father's house after my mother died (I knew my aunt and uncle were there), he answered the phone. I said, "My condolences on the death of your sister." and he said, "My condolences on the death of your mother." Then I asked him to put my aunt on the phone. Those are the last words we will speak to each other. I would estimate his net worth at between 5 and 10 million. Again, I don't care what he does with it. It's his right to do anything he wants. But he won't be leaving me a penny. That's for sure.
I can't complain. I'm not complaining. On the contrary, I am very grateful to my father.
I guess I'm in a contemplative mood sometimes and that this serves to anchor me, to keep my feet on the ground.
I'm about to make a transition in my life that is a bigger transition than any I have made in 35 years, maybe a bigger transition than any I have made in the past.
This is the part people around me don't understand (with notable exceptions): this is something I have to do alone, a series of decisions and actions I have to take.
It's not something that anyone could do for me. It's not something that anyone could "give" me.
As to generations, I am Gen. X. I know it. It doesn't offend me.
