Sociology
The Demographic Determinants of Intergenerational Wealth Transfer
Quick fact
In many societies, the oldest son has historically received the entire family estate, but even today, having more siblings can cut your inheritance significantly—sometimes by half or more—simply because the same wealth is divided among more people.
Why this is interesting
You might assume that the size of an inheritance depends only on how wealthy your parents are. But who you are in your family—and when you are born—can change your share dramatically.