What Makes Inheritance Procedures Fair for Adult Children and Parents: A Procedural Justice Lens Marlene S. Stum 1, George Brisse 2, Melanie N Jackson 3 1 Professor, 2 PhD Student, 3 PhD Student What Makes Inheritance Procedures Fair for Adult Children and Parents: A Procedural Justice Lens Marlene S. Stum 1, George Brisse 2, Melanie N Jackson 3 1 Professor, 2 PhD Student, 3 PhD Student Background Findings Study Purpose To examine procedural justice criteria used by older parents and adult children to judge the fairness of inheritance decision processes. Procedural justice is concerned with how resource allocation decisions are made or the “means” to an end (Tyler & Blader, 2000 ). Individuals use internal guidelines or criteria to evaluate if decision processes are fair/unfair. What’s Known? “I just want to be fair” is a common motive heard in family inheritance conversations; however, how older parents and adult children perceive and articulate the meaning and experience of fairness remain largely unexplored. Justice theories assume that “fairness” has multiple meanings for decision processes and outcomes. It is the multiple meanings of fairness that contribute to challenges in family communication, planning, and can lead to conflicts and disrupted family relationships. A social constructivism qualitative research paradigm focused on understanding meaning and perceptions. Three written hypothetical and realistic inheritance vignettes included in personal interviews examined perceptions of: What was fair/unfair and “why” (reasoning) Decision making processes and outcomes Both financial assets and personal possessions Participants: 18 individuals from six family sets (one older parent and two adult children from the same family) purposefully recruited from existing organizations. Older Parents: 79 yrs. mean (range 69-85); female (5), married (2), widowed (3) Adult Children: 51 yrs mean(range 40-65); female (8), married (8) Data Analysis: Step 1. Content analysis using open coding to identify themes and sub- themes in individual transcripts Step 2. Modified analytic induction involved comparing and contrasting themes/sub-themes identified in open-coding to seven prior theoretical procedural justice criteria, revising definitions, and looking for outliers. Study Purpose To examine procedural justice criteria used by older parents and adult children to judge the fairness of inheritance decision processes. Procedural justice is concerned with how resource allocation decisions are made or the “means” to an end (Tyler & Blader, 2000 ). Individuals use internal guidelines or criteria to evaluate if decision processes are fair/unfair. What’s Known? “I just want to be fair” is a common motive heard in family inheritance conversations; however, how older parents and adult children perceive and articulate the meaning and experience of fairness remain largely unexplored. Justice theories assume that “fairness” has multiple meanings for decision processes and outcomes. It is the multiple meanings of fairness that contribute to challenges in family communication, planning, and can lead to conflicts and disrupted family relationships. A social constructivism qualitative research paradigm focused on understanding meaning and perceptions. Three written hypothetical and realistic inheritance vignettes included in personal interviews examined perceptions of: What was fair/unfair and “why” (reasoning) Decision making processes and outcomes Both financial assets and personal possessions Participants: 18 individuals from six family sets (one older parent and two adult children from the same family) purposefully recruited from existing organizations. Older Parents: 79 yrs. mean (range 69-85); female (5), married (2), widowed (3) Adult Children: 51 yrs mean(range 40-65); female (8), married (8) Data Analysis: Step 1. Content analysis using open coding to identify themes and sub- themes in individual transcripts Step 2. Modified analytic induction involved comparing and contrasting themes/sub-themes identified in open-coding to seven prior theoretical procedural justice criteria, revising definitions, and looking for outliers. Conclusions and Implications  Seven procedural justice criteria were found relevant for judging the fairness of family inheritance procedures.  Some criteria appear more prevalent than others; multiple meanings and concerns emerged within criteria.  Criteria reflect judgments about the quality of decision making, and the quality of treatment by others in the family. To improve intergenerational family communication and planning: Develop assessment tools to help family members identify fair inheritance process criteria and specific concerns/meaning for their family situation. Train practitioners to address concepts and criteria of “being fair” when working with families on inheritance decisions Funding provided by Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station.  Seven procedural justice criteria were found relevant for judging the fairness of family inheritance procedures.  Some criteria appear more prevalent than others; multiple meanings and concerns emerged within criteria.  Criteria reflect judgments about the quality of decision making, and the quality of treatment by others in the family. To improve intergenerational family communication and planning: Develop assessment tools to help family members identify fair inheritance process criteria and specific concerns/meaning for their family situation. Train practitioners to address concepts and criteria of “being fair” when working with families on inheritance decisions Funding provided by Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. Family Social Science Methods What are the concerns and multiple meanings of Inheritance Procedural Justice Criteria? What criteria are used to determine if processes are fair?