Should we work longer for our son’s inheritance?

Should you stop working during your peak earning years, or stay employed so you can leave a larger inheritance to a child who may not earn much money? One Reddit user is struggling with this exact dilemma.

The original poster and her husband are both 48 years old, have stable careers and live modestly. Their simple lifestyle and high income have helped them build a combined net worth of $8.1 million. They are now planning to retire and move at the end of the year, but she admits to feeling guilty. Part of her wonders if she should continue working to give her son an even bigger financial head start.

So the big question remains: Should she delay her dream of early retirement to build on her son’s legacy, or should she step back, enjoy the life she’s worked so hard to create, and trust that her child will be able to chart his own path?

This article was updated on November 9, 2025 to clarify that a safe withdrawal rate is based on several factors, as well as to provide an objective perspective on supporting a child financially.

According to her post, the OP has already done her best to set her son up for success. He is currently in college and will graduate without student loans, and with enough money to continue his higher education without going into debt. She and her husband also built up a stock account worth around $250,000, giving her an incredible financial foundation before she even started her career.

Her husband believes that they have done more than enough and that it is time for their son to stand on his own two feet and generate his own income. But the OP feels guilty for taking a step back to enjoy life, especially because her son chose a field he loves even though it probably won’t get him a high salary. She describes him as a hard and committed worker, taking on jobs and internships while studying, but she fears he will still struggle financially in the future. His instinct is to protect him from difficulties, even if it means sacrificing his own plans.

The truth is that she has already provided far more financial support than most parents could dream of providing. By all objective measures, she has fully prepared her son for adulthood with a debt-free education and a six-figure investment portfolio. But emotions don’t always follow calculations, and his concerns about his future well-being clearly affect his ability to enjoy his own money. It’s not just about meeting her obligations, because she doesn’t believe those obligations are over.

This doesn’t mean she should delay her early retirement. Instead, she can find a balance between stepping away from work and feeling confident that her son will be financially secure. Through planning, communication, and the nest egg she’s already built for him, she can afford to retire while still providing support to him in a way that feels meaningful and manageable.

While the OP is determined to leave her son a larger inheritance, that’s probably not the right way to think about his long-term financial security. If all goes well, she will live for several decades, and by the time her son receives an inheritance, he will likely be well into his own career and already responsible for providing for her.

Instead of focusing on what she might leave him in 40 or 50 years, it makes more sense for the OP to think about how she can help him now. She can look for ways to provide support in the present while protecting her ability to retire early and enjoy the life she has earned.

With a net worth of $8.1 million, a diversified portfolio and safe withdrawal rate should generate around $300,000 in income per year. This estimate assumes the entire portfolio is invested and follows a withdrawal rate of approximately 3.7%, which many experts believe is a reasonable guideline today, although it varies depending on asset allocation, inflation and retirement horizon. Since the OP and her husband describe themselves as having simple tastes and are considering moving out of their high-cost area, this income would likely give them a comfortable lifestyle with money to spare. She could give her son a modest amount each year or save to help him buy a house when the time comes.

Of course, she has no obligation to do anything. By all objective measures, she has already done far more than most parents. But if part of her joy at having wealth comes from helping a hard-working child who may not earn a high income, there’s nothing wrong with that. She doesn’t need to give up on her retirement dreams. Instead, she can find a way to enjoy her financial freedom while still providing support that works for her.

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