Originally Posted by CX500T

I'm right on the X/Millenial boundary.

1-Traditionally in human society, elderly parents also help with grandkids. Been a whole lot of "NOT MY JOB" from my parents, friends parents, vs how involved our grandparents (Greatest Gen mostly) would watch kids after school if mom was working, take the kids for the weekend once in a while, etc. This goes both ways. My dad did a lot of work around my grandparents farm and house (with me "helping") and my grandparents were basically default childcare for most of my cousins and I. Out of my parents/aunts/uncles, maybe 1/4 of them have anywhere near that level of helping family, they are too busy on cruises, doing whatver, but you bet your bottom dollar the moment someone's boiler is being wonky, or a deck needs to be rebuilt, my cousins get a call and then they call me. Mind you, it is normally the ones who are financially secure wanting us to "take care of elders" and I basically had to show up with my 10 of my cousins and do a deck raising when a not well off uncle with no kids needed one bad. Like he fell through the deck bad, and he's not fat.

2-That wealth, isn't going to make it to a lot of GenX/Millenials. Numerous cases of friends parents selling house or farm that's been in family for generations to highest bidder then taking the proceeds and going on endless trips, eating out, big dollar motorhomes, etc. Then you have the end of life expense. That made all my grandmothers wealth go POOF. She had a living will, and a DNR. The hospital fought/delayed/denied and made us take them to court to take her off life support (was in persistent vegetative state after massive stroke) funny they stopped fighting us, right about the time the bill was close to what her estate was worth. I don't put this on the Boomers and older, I put this on the medical industry, but not everyone has their assets structured in living trusts and other stuff that is common for people at our income levels.