Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life

In Chapter 5, Perkins addresses the common criticism that his philosophy neglects children’s needs. He argues that planning to die with zero does not mean ignoring family responsibilities, but rather being more intentional about when and how to transfer wealth to children or charities.

Perkins challenges the conventional practice of leaving inheritances after death, describing it as inefficient and potentially selfish. According to statistics he cites from the Federal Reserve, most people receive inheritances around age 60, long past the time when financial assistance would have maximum impact on their lives. This timing results from the typical 20-year age gap between parents and children, combined with average lifespans of around 80 years. Perkins characterizes this approach as leaving important outcomes to randomness: Random amounts of money going to random people at random times.

To illustrate this point, Perkins shares the story of Virginia Collins, who struggled financially as a single mother raising four children while her parents, who had substantial wealth, waited until their deaths to share it. When Virginia finally received her inheritance at age 49, she was financially stable, and the money, while appreciated, arrived too late to help during her years of greatest need. Perkins argues that this timing failure represents poor planning rather than genuine generosity.