[nilkn]

Consumption of ultra-luxury items is one way to look at the difference, but another is your progeny. $20M, if spent frugally and invested well, could certainly ensure the well-being of your immediate children and probably grandchildren as well (not if you blow it on vintage sports cars and jets, though). But a billion or two could keep your family out of work for many, many generations

[qq66]

Why is keeping your family out of work for many generations a good thing?

[gammarator]

It's not: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/print/2011/04/secret-fea...

[brianpgordon]

I wish my grandparents had left me a few million dollars.

[praxulus]

Keeping your family out of work is not the same as giving them the option of not working.

[sk5t]

My intent was to put $20MM or so in perspective: yes, prudent investment could put such an amount to good, long-term use, but it is not so much money that it would be challenging to spend it all within a decade or so. $1Bn is something else entirely, and would require a very concerted effort to squander quickly.