Chapter 24 - The inheritance becomes real
My father amended his estate plan again.
This time he told me directly.
He planned to leave:
A substantial portion of his unencumbered Mercer Atlantic shares to a charitable foundation.
Some to Audrey.
Some to a generation-skipping family trust? Avoid trust. Could use direct bequests to grandchildren subject to custodial arrangements but that becomes inheritance structure. Fine, but avoid central. Maybe he plans to leave some to children by will, with executor. Still.
He told me:
“You will receive less.”
“How much less?”
“Enough that you’ll notice.”
I nodded.
He seemed disappointed I did not negotiate.
Then he asked:
“You don’t care?”
“I care.”
That surprised him.
“I care because I spent twenty years believing the company would pass a certain way. I care because I wanted your approval. I care because losing expected wealth still hurts.”
He waited.
“But?”
“But Kerensa is not the price.”
He looked down.
That was the last time he threatened inheritance.
May you like
Not because he changed the will back.
Because the threat stopped working.
