The Great Wealth Transfer Could Put Trillions in Women’s Hands.
As trillions of dollars are transferred across generations, women are poised to become significant wealth holders, making financial preparation and open family communication more important than ever.
The Great Wealth Transfer is changing the landscape of wealth in America, with women positioned to play an increasingly central role in managing and controlling it.
An estimated $105 trillion could be transferred by 2045, with women expected to receive a significant share as they inherit wealth from parents and, in many cases, outlive their spouses. But inheriting wealth and being prepared to manage it are two very different things.
Citizens Bank reports that 74% of women who expect to inherit wealth from their parents may not feel fully prepared to receive or manage those assets. Among women who have already inherited, 80% said they encountered challenges, such as limited family discussions about the transfer or uncertainty about their family’s financial situation. Recently widowed women reported similar difficulties, including unexpected financial issues and insufficient planning.
J.P. Morgan research published in January 2026 found that 70% of family members struggle to have conversations about family wealth. Nearly one in four younger family members say they feel uninformed, while roughly 20% report that financial discussions are postponed or avoided altogether.
Women may benefit from being brought into these conversations early, including discussions about investments, estate planning, business ownership, insurance, retirement accounts, and charitable giving. Families can also clarify who is responsible for financial decisions and make sure beneficiaries understand the assets they may eventually inherit.
The goal is not simply to transfer wealth—it is to transfer the knowledge and financial confidence needed to preserve it.
This can be particularly significant for Black families, given the broader racial wealth gap and the importance of preserving wealth across generations. Understanding how inherited and family-owned assets work, along with access to qualified professional guidance, can play an important role in helping heirs manage and sustain that wealth.
This shift also carries important implications for financial advisers, banks, wealth managers, and entrepreneurs who serve affluent women. As women take on greater responsibility for household and inherited wealth, financial institutions may increasingly need to recognize them as primary financial decision-makers rather than secondary participants in family finances. Citizens Private Bank projects that women could control the majority of U.S. private wealth by 2030, highlighting the changing landscape of wealth management.
The Great Wealth Transfer could move trillions of dollars between generations. But its long-term impact may ultimately depend on something less visible: whether the next generation has the financial knowledge and preparation to manage that wealth when it arrives.
