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This article examines the transmission of inheritance in a rural area of central Myanmar. The study of this transmission within a farmer’s family shows that the paradox of “keeping-while-giving” structures the inheritance. Parents must pass on all of their wealth, but they keep a portion of it to continue living, reserving it for their caretaker. Starting from a particular case reveals how this transmission changes the distribution of authority and responsibility of people over things and towards others. Studying personal relationships rather than the inalienability of things allows us to transform Weiner’ s analysis [1992] to show that through the ability to give and keep, the issue of family obligations is at stake.