Multimillionaire author Bill Perkins says parents should give kids their inheritance in their 20s when it can transform their lives—not when they die
The “Die With Zero” author says waiting until death to pass down wealth means children often get the money long after it could have changed their lives.
Hedge fund tycoon and New York Times bestselling author Bill Perkins advocates for giving children their inheritance early, before the money loses its impact. Perkins, who became a millionaire before turning 30, argues that passing down an inheritance after death often arrives too late to make a significant difference in a person's life. Instead, he suggests setting up a trust to give the money to children between the ages of 28 and 33.
According to Perkins, the human brain reaches its peak mental acuity at age 28, after which mental faculties begin to decline. In his book Die with Zero, Perkins cites the example of Virginia Colin, a woman who struggled financially after her mother passed away when she was only 49. The 10-year delay meant her children received the inheritance too late to help them during a critical period in their lives.
Perkins' perspective contradicts the common practice of leaving inheritance to children upon a parent's death, which typically occurs at around age 60 according to Federal Reserve data. Perkins argues that waiting for death to determine when the inheritance is given is a gamble, as it leaves the decision to chance and may result in leaving children without the financial support they need. He emphasizes that the money is now their money, and the optimal time to provide it is well before the parents' death.
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