How Super Rich Millennials Think About Money

ReutersRacegoers attend the last day of the Royal Ascot horse racing festival at Ascot, southern England, June 21, 2014. As Baby Boomers age and pass on, we are witnessing what Morgan Stanley analyst Mindy Rosenthal calls "the greatest transfer of wealth... in the history of the world."

This can be a tricky dance. Studies show that wealth can be lost as it passes from generation to generation - and now the lion's share of Baby Boomer money will be passed on to Millennials.

So what do they think about it?

To figure out how the young and soon-to-be super rich think about money, Morgan Stanley and researcher Campden Wealth commissioned a survey and conducted hundreds of interviews with ultra high networth clients aged 18-40.

What they found is that the next generation of rich people is challenging stereotypes about inheritance.

"What would really surprise people is just how important it is for this generation to have a job," said Rosenthal, the author of the study. "81% think it's important to have a successful career."

And even after they've inherited their money, 68% of the young people surveyed think they'll continue working.

A few more stats from the survey:

• 63% of millennials view themselves as stewards of their wealth for future generations, compared with 46% of older siblings.
• 58% view their wealth as a vehicle to help the community (vs. 38% of older inheritors).
• 74% view their wealth as a source of empowerment to pursue what is most important (vs. 54% of older generation).

Rosenthal also said that the findings of the survey also challenged the notion that this social media obsessed generation would be happy to manage their money virtually.

"When it comes to talking to an advisor... they want to see you in person," she said.

All told this is a pretty optimistic view - based on this survey it seems Millennials are more interested in giving back to their communities and being prudent their money.

However, it's important to keep in mind that everyone who participated in this survey is a client of Morgan Stanley or Campden already. That means they've already shown an interest in learning more about their money and preserving it.

Basically, these are not the Rich Kids of Beverly Hills we're talking about. They could be another story entirely.