Are Millennials in Line to Gain — and Then Lose — the Biggest Wealth Transfer in History?

A major intergenerational shift is on the way, with Millennials set to inherit trillions in wealth from their parents. But what happens after that?

Millennials have had a rough go of things. They came of age in a post 9/11 world and began their working years during a once-in-a-century recession. Now, as many of them hit middle age, they’re juggling hefty student debt payments and a housing market gone mad.

They’re due for a break, aren’t they? And it seems one is on the way. A big one.

Experts are calling it the “Great Wealth Transfer.” And it amounts to nearly $85 trillion in assets expected to flow down from the Baby Boomers and the Silent Generation to their Millennial children over the next 20 years.

But what will happen when a demographic inexperienced with managing wealth receives a major windfall?

Without practical investment skills, that wealth could slip through their fingers, leaving them no better off than before. Especially when bad actors are waiting in the wings to pounce on their naivete and inexperience, leveraging the power of social media to lure people into scams and get-rich-quick schemes.

But while peril lurks, so does opportunity. With newfound prosperity, Millennials will finally have a real shot at developing wealth literacy and building up the kind of change resilience that allowed previous generations to create the wealth that’s being passed down.

Which way the pendulum swings for any given person will depend on strategy and savvy. Two of our specialties here at Coe. If you’re looking to maximize a business venture or get clear-eyed financial insights from an expert, we’re here to help. Book your one-on-one consultation to get started.