Issue #32
“Passing the Torch: The Great Wealth Transfer”
April, 2003

It is estimated that over the next 55 years $41 trillion will be passed to a new generation of Americans-through inheritance, philanthropy, and taxes. What does this mean for individuals and for society? Is a "Golden Age of Philanthropy" upon us? What are the questions we need to consider as we contemplate the legacy we will leave, not only to our own friends and families but to the world? In this issue of More Than Money, Professor Paul Schervish of the Social Welfare Research Institute discusses what he calls the leading cultural and spiritual question of our time: How to make wise decisions in an age of affluence. The issue includes interviews, articles, and personal stories about passing on wealth, including family business successions, land transfers, leadership in family foundations, legacy planning, and more.