'My parents left me with less than nothing': 10+ Millennials open up about what it's like to financially support their parents

It's a common societal perception that children inevitably become a financial burden on their parents, but not enough folks are talking about the reverse scenario. Sure, people love to blame millennials for being too coddled, entitled, and unrealistic about the ways of the world. However, these millennials have an entirely different set of circumstances on their hands, and for once, it isn't exactly easy to argue that this is their fault.

We've covered a plethora of stories about inheritance woes on this site, whether it's grandparents picking favorites in their will or children who have, for one reason or another, gotten themselves axed out of their "rightful" inheritance. Sometimes, the reasons are valid. Other times, someone is just being petty.

But what about the adults in their 30s and 40s whose parents are nearing the finish line, who can't even imagine having grievances about the amount of inheritance they are receiving? What about the folks who are staying up late at night, panicking about how much debt they are going to be in, rather than how much money they are going to get?

Instead of shedding light on more of the entitled individuals who expect to receive large sums of money when their family members eventually kick the bucket, let's take a moment to consider the millennials out there who can't even fathom being that entitled.

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An adult man embraces his older mother as they share morning coffee.
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Inheritance? That's a joke. How many of your parents are burdens?

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A woman visits her senior father in his home and hands him a present.
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As the social media user who posed this question admitted, financial planning is a huge part of the equation here. Some people prioritize these skills and ensure that they pass these concepts down to their kids at an early age, while other parents find themselves unable to hone that skill. This could be for reasons that are beyond their control, as some folks in the comments section suggested.
But there is also something to be said about the assumption that millennials (and, for that matter, members of Gen-Z) are irresponsible with their money. If these stories indicate anything, perhaps it's that financial responsibility is not necessarily tied to a specific generation. It might just be tied to individual circumstances and behaviors.
So, in the future, let's avoid blaming the financial instability that millennials and younger folks experience on their own inability to plan financially because there are definitely people from all walks of life who have this problem as well as people who don't.
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An adult man embraces his retired father as they look out the window together.
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