Four out of five over-45s want their inheritance while parents and grandparents are still alive, new research among the well-off older generations reveals.The money is most likely to be forthcoming if it's for property, with half of those who have already given an 'early inheritance' saying they did so to help family get on the housing ladder.Among both groups, those waiting for an inheritance and those mulling when best to hand over wealth, 88 per cent said they would consider assisting children or grandchildren to buy a property.And a massive 97 per cent of those surveyed believe it's now difficult or very difficult for young people to buy a home without family support.The research was carried out among more than 2,100 subscribers to a newsletter published by independent financial advice firm The Private Office. Inheritance: Most wealthy over-45s would like to receive it while family members are still aliveThe firm explains that those who replied were skewed heavily towards older, asset-rich homeowners, reflecting the type of person most likely to be considering an inter-generational wealth transfer.Rising numbers of better-off people are thought to be spending or gifting their money during their lives as these are the easiest ways to avoid inheritance tax.Financial gifts are tax-free if the person giving them survives for seven years after the money is transferred. If you die before the seven years are up, inheritance tax is levied on a sliding scale – starting at the full whack of 40 per cent if it's within the first three years. Unspent pension pots will become liable for inheritance tax from spring 2027, upending the plans of many people who saved into them so they could be passed tax-free to the next generation.They are now casting around for other ways to avoid the 40 per cent levy. HMRC data published yesterday revealed record pension withdrawals in the 2025-2026 tax year, some of which will have been prompted by the new IHT rules.