THE ROLE OF INHERITANCE IN FORGING CONNEC TIONS AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS

Inheritances can be characterized as having a two-fold institutional c haracter. On one side, they bind generations in later phases of the li fe course together and guarantee, supported by law, the continued ''ex istence'' of the family. On the other side, they protect private prope rty and represent a source of social inequality between families. Inhe ritances do have a common symbolic meaning for both the testator and t he heir and they also do have individually distinct practical meanings for both, the testator and the heirs. With reference to the concept o f the life course we analyse data on inheritances in Germany for the y ears 1984-1993 stemming from the socio-economic-panel (SOEP). There ar e significant differences related to income and property. Inheritances which are transferred in middle or even later life influence the life course of heirs insofar as the probability increases that heirs will purchase a house or condominium or move into one which they have inher ited. Persons of higher income are more likely to use if for the acqui sition of (further) housing property than persons of lower income grou ps.