You need to know when you have too much.

I think it's our right to make as much money as we can, within the laws, and to enjoy the life that our earnings provide us. We should be able to buy the house we can afford, and the life-style. But I also think that, beyond a certain point, we need to think about giving back to the society that gave us such riches, however we choose to do that.

But how much is too much? How do we know that we have so much that we can't possibly spend it all, on ourselves and our children, and their children's children? How do we know that we have way more than our family can possibly spend for generations to come?

Here's a clue. It comes courtesy of a Q&A to a popular magazine. (And I quote this verbatim.)

Q: Does Aaron Spelling's widow still live in his huge home in L.A.?

A: Yes, but Candy Spelling, 62, has listed the 123-room, 56,000-square-foot mansion for sale at $150 million. Meanwhile, she's bought a pair of duplexes for herself and her terrier. They total 16,500 square feet and cost $47 million. In Hollywood, that's called down-sizing.

This is from Parade magazine from a couple of weeks ago.

Are you as astonished by the dollar numbers as I am? And the square footage? Candy is going to end up with duplexes that are bigger than my home times five -- and two of them? For herself and her dog?

Okay, maybe sometimes we do have too much. But how do determine that?

I would say that if you have more space than you need, that's a start. Maybe you do need a pool and rooms for guests and even for hired-help. I mean, if that's the life you're used to, go for it. But why two duplexes? Surely one isn't just for your dog, right? And why so big? Candy doesn't have kids coming home, looking to crash somewhere, right? So what's all that extra space for? Do you know what 16,000 feet of space looks like? A gym? An airplane hangar?

I don't think it's a sin for anyone to accumulate wealth and to spend it as he/she sees fit to make a great life for himself or herself. But doesn't there come a time when he or she has so much that he or she can't possibly spend it in one lifetime to make himself or herself more comfortable? Or his/her heirs for their lifetimes?

What should be done with the excess? Well, of course most of it is left to the children or other designated heirs. But what if there's even more left over after that? Once the kids are guaranteed a life of leisure, and old pals are paid off, what about the rest?

Andrew Carnegie, who was among the richest Americans in the early 20th century, said something to the effect that it was a sin to die rich and so donated much of his wealth to build libraries that bear his name. Not sure what the oil tycoon Rockefeller did with is money, but there are buildings -- the Rockefeller Center -- that attest to his donations.

I think that the basic rule of when to know when you have too much is if you have more than you and/or your children can reasonably expect to spend in your and their lifetimes and if you've given all you want to give to charities/causes you support.

So what should be done with what's left? It's not easy to decide, especially if you think you've done right by all concerned. You don't want to turn it over to the government, since you know they're notorious about wasting money. You don't want it buried with you. Who would that serve? And your kids have all they'll need to live a life you probably didn't while you were making all that money.

This is probably when you need to think about what was important to you in your life. What cause or charity really would benefit and would mean something to you. Maybe it's sponsoring a grant to someone at your old college in your major. Maybe it's giving to a person who meant a lot to you and who needs some financial help: a few thousand dollars to the right person, at the right time, can make a difference in a life. Maybe you have some particular subject you were always interested in and that you know is always under-funded: astronomy, flying kites, acting, the arts.

Be creative. Once you and your kin are taken care of, leave that other money to whoever strikes your fancy.

They won't expect it, but they'll love you for it.