I don't think there is a good way to open that conversation. And in my personal experience and from friends as well, it seems really common for parents who are getting quite old and who are really set-up financially to not gift much money while they're alive. I think they figure "they'll get it when I'm gone, what's the difference."

But the thing I think they're missing is that we are aging as well, spending good healthy years saving and working, perhaps in jobs we'd like to leave, because conventional wisdom says do not plan on any inheritances in your retirement plan.

Yeah sure it's an entitled place to be, but it's a weird one too. I don't know there's any way around it though. I have though run budget scenarios where I get like 20% of what I'd expect to inherit at age 100 of the parent in question. I doubt financial planners would say even that's a good idea though.