Gen Z Expects Inheritance at 38% as Only 22% of Boomers Plan to Leave One

1 articles · Updated · Yahoo Finance · Aug 19

Northwestern Mutual's 2024 research found a sharp gap between generations: 38% of Gen Z expect to receive an inheritance, while just 22% of boomers say they plan to leave one.
Half of respondents said an inheritance would be critical to their long-term financial security, making that mismatch a potential risk for younger Americans counting on future family wealth.
The report argues those unlikely to inherit should build wealth independently, starting with emergency savings covering several months of expenses and using high-yield savings accounts to keep cash accessible while earning interest.
Inflation adds pressure to that advice: U.S. consumer prices in 2025 were 3.0% higher than a year earlier, still 1.0 percentage point above the Federal Reserve's 2.0% target.