LendingTree Study Reveals Risk of Relying on Inheritance for U.S. Retirement Plans
A new study by LendingTree indicates that 43% of Americans who anticipate receiving an inheritance are depending on it for their retirement plans. This reliance is deemed risky by Matt Schulz, a consumer finance analyst at LendingTree, who stresses that an inheritance should be considered a luxury rather than a foundational element of a retirement strategy. The study projects that homeowners aged 65 and older could transfer $17.2 trillion between 2026 and 2045, with about a third of Americans under 65 expecting to receive some of this wealth. However, Schulz warns that this money is not guaranteed, as significant portions can be depleted by healthcare costs, assisted living expenses, and other expenditures associated with aging parents.
