Is it wise to leave an inheritance directly to grandchildren, rather than letting their parents (my children) pass it down to them? Not always. Depending upon the amount to be distributed and the maturity of the grandchildren, you may be taking away from their parents the ability to control the spending habits of those grandchildren. It is best to discuss this first with the parents of your grandchildren to determine if they feel the grandchildren are prepared to inherit, then discuss with your estate planning attorney. -Attorney Jack N. Alpern