He who provides for himself provides for his heirs.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) The prudent man who secures his own affairs thereby secures his heirs — what the ancestor builds lawfully, the heir inherits.

Where this applies

• A father who builds a successful business and manages his finances well thereby secures an inheritance for his children.
• A woman who carefully maintains and improves her property during her lifetime passes a more valuable estate to her heirs.
• A man who pays off his debts and saves diligently ensures that his children inherit a clean estate rather than a pile of liabilities.