MOST people would probably be quite happy to receive an inheritance. They would pay off debt, maybe their mortgage; save for retirement; take a trip or two. It would be blissful, and it would make their lives easier.

Then there are those who have actually received an inheritance, sometimes sizable, and struggled with the accompanying responsibility. How should they manage it? What should they spend it on? Do they even deserve it?

In this group, there is a small subset — call them trust-fund progressives — who want to give all or most of the money away while they’re young. Some may call these people generous; others may call them naïve about what life has in store.