The Great Wealth Transfer: Why Purpose Matters as Much as Planning
At a recent conference, we heard from four speakers on a topic that’s set to reshape the financial landscape over the next decade: the enormous wealth transfer as baby boomers pass away. An estimated $30 trillion is expected to change hands, and with that, families will face a wave of new decisions and challenges.
This isn’t just about numbers on a balance sheet, it’s about readiness. Many heirs aren’t prepared to manage what they’ll receive, let alone channel it into meaningful change. And without clear goals, decision-making can feel overwhelming. After all, how can you decide what to do with your wealth if you haven’t first defined what you want your wealth to do for you?
Money With Meaning
Millennials, who are expected to inherit the bulk of this transfer, are approaching money differently than generations before them. They tend to make heart-driven decisions, placing greater emphasis on values, purpose, and impact, rather than purely head-driven decisions focused on efficiency or accumulation.
They’re often asking questions of purpose: How do I align my money with my values? How do I use it to create impact?
This shift is reshaping the financial services industry. Conversations about money are no longer only about returns and retirement projections, they’re about alignment, values, and legacy. And it’s not just the younger generation feeling this tension. Many boomers hold strong beliefs about how money “should” be managed. Younger generations may see it differently. That perspective gap can make conversations around wealth difficult, but it also opens the door to deeper dialogue. Bridging those viewpoints, finding common ground between efficiency and purpose, is becoming increasingly important.
From Generational Wealth to Inspirational Wealth
The phrase “generational wealth” is often used to describe the passing down of assets. But what’s unfolding today is more than that. It’s a moment to reconsider what wealth is for, how it’s used, and the values that shape it.
That’s why at Moxie, we talk not just about generational wealth, but about inspirational wealth. For most of my clients, the ultimate goal isn’t simply to accumulate assets or pass them on, it’s to live with intention. They want to work to live, not live to work, and they don’t measure their self-worth (or anyone else’s) by their net worth.
What they’re looking for is not lectures or judgment, but guidance. They want a thought partner to help them align financial decisions with the life they want to create, so that when this great wealth transfer touches their lives, they can approach it with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Because when you view wealth as a tool, not just a number, it becomes something far more powerful. It becomes an opportunity to live intentionally, strengthen connections, and create impact that goes beyond the balance sheet.
The views stated in this article are necessarily the opinion of Cetera Wealth Services, LLC and should not be construed directly or indirectly as an offer to buy or sell any securities mentioned herein. Due to the volatility of the markets mentioned, opinions are subject to change without notice. Information based on sources is believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
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