For many Australians, the only chance they will have at owning a home will come in the form of tragedy. House prices have become so expensive that Australians are increasingly relying not just on the bank of mum and dad, but on the inheritance that comes with their death to get a foot on the housing ladder. Over the next 20 years, it’s expected $5.4tn will be passed down from baby boomers to their beneficiaries. But experts warn that this great intergenerational wealth transfer presents one of the biggest challenges the country has faced in decades. Reged Ahmad speaks with deputy features editor Celina Ribeiro about how the age of inheritance is threatening economic equality, faith in the ‘fair go’, and even in democracy itself
