How much wealth will transfer in the Great Wealth Transfer?

Cerulli Associates projects $124 trillion will transfer through 2048, including $105 trillion passing to heirs and $54 trillion moving between spouses first. Most advisors already have a future client sitting inside a household they currently serve.

How can advisors build relationships with heirs before a wealth transfer?

Treat every adult family member as a client in formation. Learn their goals, communication style, and financial experience, then log those details in your CRM. Invite heirs into annual meetings and give each person one planning question to answer, not just a seat at the table.

Why should heir engagement start 10 years before a wealth transfer?

Trust builds through repetition. A first meeting during grief forces a new decision-maker to accept your judgment under pressure. A decade of family meetings, planning sessions, and hard-choice moments gives that person a track record to judge instead.

What does the Great Wealth Transfer mean for women and surviving spouses?

McKinsey projects women will control roughly $34 trillion, about 38% of U.S. assets, by 2030, and nearly $40 trillion in spousal transfers will go to widowed women through 2048. Advisors whose joint meetings favor one spouse carry hidden relationship debt with the other.

What should advisors measure to track multigenerational retention?

Track the percentage of top households where you have met the spouse and an adult heir, recorded each person's goals, and scheduled a family meeting. Cerulli found 89% of surveyed firms view family meetings and regular communication as a core retention practice.

The Great Wealth Transfer: How Advisors Retain Client Heirs

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The Great Wealth Transfer: How Advisors Retain Client Heirs | Dunham