Everyone hopes to leave something to their family, but handing down money without handing down good habits can do more harm than good. Mark Rowlette and Damon La Tanzi of South Shore Retirement Services dig into a conversation they have with clients all the time, giving versus leaving, and why the values you pass on end up mattering more than the dollars.

They tackle a common and risky assumption: that your children or grandchildren will simply know what to do when they inherit. Plenty of terrific savers never learned the difference between a 401(k), a Roth, and a brokerage account, and money that arrives without a way to think about it can disappear faster than you'd hope. The fix is starting the conversation early and often, without pressure, so the next generation builds real habits around saving and spending.

Mark draws on his own story too, coming to the United States from Ireland with very little and learning financial responsibility the hard way, to make the point that habits are taught, not simply inherited. Leaving tax-efficient money to the next generation is worth doing, but pairing it with good habits is what makes it last. As he puts it, saving for tomorrow shouldn't destroy today.

Plain talk for individuals and families across the South Shore of Massachusetts who want to pass on wisdom along with whatever they leave behind.

If you'd like to talk through your own giving-versus-leaving questions, visit southshoreretirementservices.com or call the office at 781-725-5557