DOI: 10.1177/15365042261469495 ISSN: 1536-5042

How Norms of Inheritance Reinforce Sibling Disparity

Nazli Kibria, Catherine Rosa

In the United States, the equal division of parental assets among siblings is the default estate planning framework. However, interviews with 75 middle-class adult siblings reveal that this approach also causes a great deal of tension in families, as some believe shares should be adjusted for each sibling’s caregiving contribution and level of economic need.