re: Anyone ever think about legacy?

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Sure, I want to stop working as soon as possible and enjoy life, but more importantly for me I want to leave something for my kids, who will hopefully leave most of it for my grandkids, and so on.

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I work in philanthropy, so my daily work is with people thinking about legacies. For those of you who are legacy-minded, I urge you to talk to an estate planning professional. As I mentioned upthread, merely leaving a surplus to your children is no guarantee it will be preserved for future generations. Your children will grow up to make their own choices; the world changes dramatically in a couple of decades. Things you regard as extravagance become to seem necessary (think of cable, high speed internet, cell phones--none of which my grandmother ever paid for). If you want the bulk of the funds perserved and passed on, you NEED to consider a trust arrangement.

You also need to communicate directly and clearly with your children about your plans and wishes. Too many families avoid any discussion of money. Ultimately, when you are no longer around, they're going to have control...and that control may involve frittering away your hard earned dough.

The inability of potential heirs to steward $$ with good sense causes some wealthy folks to give it away while still living. They'd rather see it endow a scholarship, landscape a park, build a new building than to think of an ungrateful son-in-law persuading his wife to buy himself a new Porsche.