That is a truism that applies mainly to the US, if it applies anywhere. The US differs from a lot of places in, say, Europe in that partible inheritance is almo

That is a truism that applies mainly to the US, if it applies anywhere. The US differs from a lot of places in, say, Europe in that partible inheritance is almost universally practiced. That is, inheritances are divided equally between children. This accelerates the drawdown of the fortune. In Europe I have heard it is more common, although perhaps not a norm, to practice a meritocratic form of primogeniture. One child, who is not necessarily the eldest son but who is seen as the best steward, is chosen to receive most of the fortune, and is trained how to maintain it. Other children may receive much smaller amounts. The fortune is much more likely to persist if not divided, preventing the liquidation of large holdings and more importantly managing expectations among the gaggle of heirs about how much they'll get.