$124 trillion is set to flow to women through the U.S. “great wealth transfer” by 2048, with about $54 trillion first moving to widows through inter-spousal transfers.
84% of women in a 2025 Citizens survey said they lacked confidence managing an inheritance or other windfall, and 45% said handling personal wealth felt confusing or overwhelming.
$34 trillion in female-controlled assets is projected by 2030, up from $18 trillion in 2023, as women’s share of U.S. assets rises to 38% from 34%, according to McKinsey.
Advisers say older women were often excluded from household money decisions, and many firms still focus on husbands first—helping explain why 7 in 10 widows switch advisers after inheriting.
Estate-settlement firms such as Alix, Elayne and ClearEstate are pitching support as women increasingly administer estates themselves, a shift also expected to steer more wealth toward philanthropy.