What happens when kids inherit wealth without knowing how to use it?

They hurt themselves with it. Kris Kluver, in The Dysfunctional Family Office, uses the image of an unlocked toolbox in a dark room. The kids grab whatever they can reach. They don't know what each tool is for. They don't know which ones are dangerous. They don't have a context for using any of them correctly. Inherited wealth without preparation works the same way. The kids get the resources, no manual, no shared family understanding of what the wealth is supposed to do, and no guardrails about what it isn't for. The damage shows up as bad investments, broken relationships, addiction, lost direction, or simply spending the money down with nothing to show. The fix is preparation, not protection. Education about money, purpose, decision-making, and family values long before the wealth transfers.