Ramsey Show says asking for a child's inheritance is ‘gross’ — but it’s the one way to get husband’s $2M bloodline trust

Thomas Kent

Sun, August 23, 2026 at 2:30 PM GMT+3 6 min read

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Would you ask your child to share in their inheritance? For Eileen, who is in her 60s, this question is not hypothetical.

Eileen's husband currently receives a check every quarter from his family's bloodline trust. But the couple recently discovered that if he dies before she does, Eileen won't inherit his share. Rather, the $2 million trust will pass on to the couple's daughter, who is next in his family's bloodline.

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In other words, Eileen will receive nothing.

"We're just wondering if it would be ethical for us to ask her to split the inheritance if he pre-deceases me," asked Eileen, who lives in Albany, N.Y., during a clip of The Ramsey Show (1).

But the hosts told Eileen that asking their daughter for a cut of her inheritance feels "gross."

Here's what the couple could do instead (and what they should have done earlier).

What exactly is a bloodline trust?

Bloodline trusts, also called dynasty trusts, are used to protect family wealth — particularly as blended families become more commonplace.

For example, while about 1.8 million Americans got divorced in 2023, two-thirds of divorced Americans will go on to marry again, according to an analysis from the Pew Research Center (2). And more than 1 in 5 (21.2%) U.S. couples who lived together in 2021 had children from at least one previous relationship, according to U.S. Census Bureau data (3).

However, most people have no idea bloodline trusts exist or what they actually mean for a surviving spouse's financial security.

The benefit of a trust is that it bypasses the probate process and creditors can't go after trust assets. A bloodline trust, more specifically, can also preserve family wealth for direct descendants (the bloodline), such as children and grandchildren, so assets stay in the family (4).

Once the trustor (the person who creates the trust) passes away, the trust becomes irrevocable. In other words, the terms are final and can't be changed.

A bloodline trust also protects family wealth from a spouse who divorces a direct descendant and then remarries. That way, the new spouse or stepchildren won't divert the family's assets. But it disinherits a beneficiary's spouse and other loved ones, too, simply because they don't share the same blood.

And it can backfire.

For example, if a couple has two children — one adopted — the "bloodline child" would inherit the family wealth while the adopted child would receive nothing.

How to ensure financial security for a surviving spouse

In most states, a surviving spouse has elective share rights (typically 30% to 50% of the estate) that can override a will — a law intended to safeguard the surviving spouse from being left with nothing (5).

But bloodline trusts are structured to avoid this. Many spouses, like Eileen, may not realize they don't have a legal right to those assets. And there's nothing her husband can do about it, either. As a beneficiary, he can't alter the trust or name other beneficiaries.

So, should they really ask their daughter, who is now 24, for a cut — if the situation comes to pass?

"I personally would feel gross about doing that," said cohost Ken Coleman (1).

Another way to ensure a financial safety net

Ideally, if the couple wanted to ensure the surviving spouse would be well taken care of, they would have purchased life insurance long ago (since premiums are typically more expensive if you buy insurance later in life). That's because life insurance provides a guaranteed, tax-free death benefit with immediate liquidity — meaning that it doesn't go through probate.

If you want to ensure your family isn't hit with unexpected costs after your death, consider signing up for term life insurance from Ethos.

Ethos is rated "Excellent" on Trustpilot and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The platform offers simple and affordable coverage for a set period of time — typically between 10 and 30 years.

As a licensed third-party insurance administrator, Ethos has joined forces with some of the industry's top insurance carriers, such as Banner Life, TruStage Financial and Ameritas Life Insurance.

Ethos also gives you the flexibility to select coverage amounts ranging from $2,000 to $100,000. Premiums start at just $9.80 a month and are guaranteed throughout the term.

You can get coverage in just 10 minutes online or by phone, with no medical exams or blood tests required.

What could they do differently?

It's clear from their situation that Eileen and her husband relied too heavily on the bloodline trust. Instead of making forward-looking decisions like taking out a life insurance policy, Eileen and her husband were counting on that trust money to keep coming in.

Currently, they have about $350,000 in savings, including 401(k)s, with about $99,000 left to pay on their mortgage. That might seem like a lot, but it is less than a quarter of the "magic number" most Americans believe they need to retire — about $1.46 million — according to a 2026 survey by Northwestern Mutual (6).

Since both plan to keep working during their 60s, what can they do in the meantime?

"Whatever you guys can do over the next seven to 10 years to invest a lot of money, that's going to help you be far more comfortable in your 70s and 80s," said Coleman.

For example, instead of asking their daughter for a cut of her inheritance at her father's death, they could take the trust money he's already receiving each quarter and put it into an account in her mother's name.

But with less time for investing, it's important to put this money to work, earning interest without taking on too much risk.

One option is a certificate of deposit. A CD allows you to lock in an interest rate for a predetermined term, giving you a clearer sense of what your savings will be worth at the end of the set term.

For those seeking predictable, reliable growth, a platform like CD Valet can help you find higher-yield options that work for you, whether you're saving for something soon or building a cushion for the long haul.

CD Valet tracks over 40,000 verified rates from FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions nationwide. Unlike other websites, they show every publicly available rate, ensuring you have a comprehensive view of the market.

Plus, their CD rates are updated continuously, so you can shop, compare and open CDs with ease.

Driving home the importance of these next steps, Coleman says their focus should be on investing as much as they can at this stage, so that their current income can "turn into a sizable chunk" and provide his wife with a comfortable retirement — should she outlive him — without overelying on his family's bloodline trust.

— With files from Vawn Himmelsbach.

Ramsey Show says asking for a child's inheritance is ‘gross’ — but it’s the one way to get husband’s $2M bloodline trust

Must Read

What exactly is a bloodline trust?

How to ensure financial security for a surviving spouse

Another way to ensure a financial safety net

What could they do differently?

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