Leaving it behind

By Michael Tan
Inquirer
Last updated 11:48am (Mla time) 06/30/2006
Published on Page A15 of the June 30, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
Online: www.inq7.net

"YOU can't take it with you." No matter how wealthy we are, we will all leave the world as we entered it: penniless.

So we try to console ourselves that at least we can leave the fruits of our labor to our children. But last Wednesday, I wrote about a trend toward "mega-philanthropy" where very rich American businessmen are leaving the bulk of their wealth to charity rather than to their children, and they're doing this even before they die.