Episode details

Available for over a year
Tony Hawks is a very lucky man. He has done well in life, thanks to luck, hard work, plus many years of writing, travelling and making people laugh on 麻豆社 Radio 4. But he doesn鈥檛 fancy a nice car. He鈥檚 not into flashy holidays. And he doesn鈥檛 want to pass any of the money he鈥檚 earned down to his only child. Tony acknowledges that he鈥檚 aspirational. But he aspires to do good, not to accumulate. And that鈥檚 the legacy he wants to leave to his son. Not money. Because, in Tony鈥檚 opinion, money passed down through inheritance corrupts aspiration, it corrupts ambition, and it has a corrosive effect on personality. What鈥檚 more, he believes inheritance has a harmful effect on society - it perpetuates inequality and makes a mockery of equal opportunity. In short, Tony is dead against it. If Tony were to leave just money to his young son, would it give his boy a vital leg-up or would it take away his drive and motivation to achieve things on his own terms? The series follows Tony鈥檚 efforts to make a decision about his will, his son and his money. He argues for a radical shift away from the idea of inheritance. But is it even possible in today's world? Inheritance is a complex issue that sits at the heart of British society. And it鈥檚 about to become a whole lot more pressing as we face the biggest transfer of wealth in history. The Baby Boomers are dying out and they will be leaving vast sums of money to the next generations over the coming decades. One big change in the inheritance landscape is the rise in disputes over recent years, as more and more people fight to get a slice of the inheritance pie. Barrister Barbara Rich tells Tony about her work mediating these kinds of conflicts. Solicitor James Aspden talks Tony through the complex case of a daughter who was written out of her late mother鈥檚 will in favour of animal charities. And as Tony struggles to make his own decision, he talks to his financial advisor and - finally - has a breakthrough. Might Tony鈥檚 son fight him in the courts for an inheritance? Could Tony鈥檚 will be challenged? Will Tony鈥檚 little dog Coco get left anything? Who knows? Where there鈥檚 a will, there鈥檚 often a wrangle鈥� Presenter: Tony Hawks Producer: Tom Woolfenden Sound Designer: Jon Calver A Loftus Media production for 麻豆社 Radio 4
Programme Website