The great wealth transfer is a massive financial shift, where an unprecedented amount of money is being passed down from generation to generation, mainly from 78 million Baby Boomers to their heirs, including Millennials and Generation Xers.
This transfer of wealth includes all types of assets, including securities, real estate, and small businesses.
Imagine a massive relay race where the baton is a treasure chest, and it’s being handed off from one runner to the next. That’s what’s happening here but on a colossal, generational scale. It’s not just a simple transaction; it’s reshaping how wealth will be distributed and managed.
What’s interesting is how this shift is influencing the financial services industry. Financial advisors are adapting to the needs and preferences of younger generations, who typically are more tech-savvy or interested in sustainable investing than their parents or grandparents. It’s a significant movement that’s stirring up a lot of discussion around responsibilities and the stewardship of wealth.
As Washington, DC CFP® professionals, we are helping successful individuals and their families develop comprehensive wealth transfer plans that include the creation of financial legacies for their loved ones and the causes they care about.
A Shift in Objectives: From Distribution to Accumulation
The great wealth transfer is ushering in a significant shift for younger generations fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of their parents and grandparents’ assets. With trillions set to change hands in the coming years, the focus for many of these younger beneficiaries moves beyond just inheriting the wealth.
The real challenge and opportunity lie in what comes next: safeguarding, growing, and thoughtfully distributing this newfound wealth.
For many, this influx of wealth requires reevaluating their financial strategies and goals. The emphasis shifts towards preserving assets for their use and the use of future generations. Generational wealth is the new focus of these investors.
This means developing an understanding of how sudden wealth can help achieve financial goals and becoming savvy about sustainable investment strategies to fit individual investment objectives.
Additionally, with this wealth comes a heightened awareness of the need for comprehensive financial planning. This includes estate planning to ensure the assets are distributed according to their wishes, tax planning to manage this liability more efficiently, and even philanthropic strategies to create family legacies.
Brown|Miller Insights: The great wealth transfer isn’t just about the transfer of assets; it’s about the transfer of responsibilities and the start of new legacies. If you are a recipient of a wealth transfer, your focus should be to be a wise steward of the resources you have been given.
This is where the assistance of our Washington, D.C. financial planners can be of great assistance, especially if you don’t have the knowledge or inclination to build a comprehensive wealth management plan for yourself.
Emphasizing Growth Over Income
When you are younger and receive a transfer of wealth, think of it as an opportunity to plan for your future on a long-term basis. You may want to consider growing those assets than producing immediate income you may not need. Why?
Because time is on your side, you can weather the ups and downs of more volatile investments, like stocks in public and private companies. You expect to be rewarded for the additional risk. This strategy can be effective if your investment horizon exceeds 5-8 years.
Think of it like planting a tree. Initially, it’s just a seed, but given time and care, it can grow substantially. What happens if you inherit a forest? This growth mindset can significantly amplify your wealth over the years, building a solid foundation for future financial independence that may be extended to future generations.
Think of your new wealth as an opportunity for it to work for you so you can support family members and causes you are passionate about.
Driving Demand for Long-Term Growth Investments
When substantial sums of money change hands, especially during generational wealth transfers, there’s a natural shift from capital preservation to investment strategies focused on producing higher returns. In other words, the children can afford to be more growth oriented than their parents or grandparents.
As older generations pass their wealth down, the recipients—often younger, with much longer investment horizons—tend to look for opportunities where their inheritance can grow substantially for their use later in life.
They’re not just thinking about the next few years but their entire life spans that may last until they are 100 or more. And possibly well beyond that when they think about the financial well-being of future generations.
This scenario sets the stage for financial advisors and investment firms to tailor their offerings, focusing more on investments that promise market appreciation, like common stocks, versus other more conservative options that would produce lower returns. It’s a chance for the financial service industry to showcase innovative financial products and strategies aligning with their clients’ long-term perspectives.
In essence, the injection of fresh capital into the market, earmarked for capital appreciation, can stimulate the development of new financial products and services. It’s a cycle of growth that benefits both the individual investor looking to expand their wealth and the financial services industry eager to meet this rising demand with creative solutions.
Get to Know Brown|Miller
Brown|Miller’s approach to financial planning and wealth management is straightforward and easy to understand. We break down your wealth management needs into a three part process we call Discover, Design, and Deliver.
In the Discover phase, our team of Washington, DC CFP® professionals focuses on getting to know you, your current financial situation, your goals, and what you envision for your future. This isn’t just about numbers; it’s about understanding your values, worries, and what you want to pursue with your new wealth.
Moving to the Design stage, we take everything we’ve learned and start crafting a plan tailored to your specific circumstances, needs, and goals. This isn’t off-the-shelf advice based on one size fits all; it’s a personalized strategy that considers where you are and where you want to be, addressing your specific situation.
Finally, the delivery phase is where plans are put into action. But it’s not just about setting things in motion and walking away. We stay with you, adjusting and adapting the plan as your life’s goals change. This ensures that the strategy remains relevant and continues to work towards your goals, even as your circumstances change.
This thoughtful and adaptive approach sets Brown|Miller apart by providing a customized level of service that aligns with your personal and financial aspirations. Ready to learn more about our wealth management services? Connect with us for an introductory conversation.
