Los Angeles, CA, United States, 17th Mar 2025 — HorizonPointe Financial Group (HPFG), a leading global asset management firm, has released comprehensive analysis on what industry experts call “the largest wealth transfer in history.” HorizonPointe Financial Group’s research highlights the urgent need for the financial industry to bridge the gap between traditional wealth management services and the distinct investment preferences of Millennials and Generation Z, who stand to inherit an estimated $84 trillion from Baby Boomers over the next two decades.
HorizonPointe Financial Group’s analysis comes at a critical juncture for the asset management industry, which has struggled to connect with younger investors who show markedly different attitudes toward wealth, risk, and financial institutions compared to their parents.
“We’re witnessing a generational shift that will fundamentally transform the wealth management landscape,” said Andrew Evan Watkins, Chief Analyst and Director at HorizonPointe Financial Group, during an industry conference in Manhattan. “The financial services sector must commit to meeting the next generation of investors where they are, with solutions that align with their values, digital expectations, and long-term financial goals.”
According to the latest wealth transfer report from industry researchers, $72.6 trillion in assets will change hands in the United States alone by 2045, with heirs receiving $53 trillion and charities benefiting from $11.9 trillion. HorizonPointe Financial Group’s research indicates that traditional firms risk losing up to 80% of these assets during the transfer process if they fail to adapt to younger clients’ preferences.
Watkins emphasized that HorizonPointe Financial Group believes successful wealth management strategies for the next generation must integrate several key features designed specifically for digital-native investors, including mobile-first interfaces, fractional investment capabilities, AI-driven personalized guidance, and expanded access to alternative investments with significantly lower minimum thresholds than traditional wealth management services.
“Today’s younger investors expect seamless digital experiences coupled with authentic human guidance,” explained Watkins. “They’re skeptical of financial jargon, demand complete transparency, and place significant importance on values alignment and social impact alongside financial returns.”
HorizonPointe Financial Group’s analysis highlights the importance of values-based investment options, allowing clients to construct portfolios that reflect their personal values while maintaining robust financial performance. This responds directly to findings from sustainable investing research, which reported that 95% of Millennials are interested in sustainable investing, with 75% believing their investment decisions could impact climate change policy.
The research also addresses the need to accommodate the fragmented financial lives of younger clients by developing tools that aggregate various financial accounts, cryptocurrency holdings, and even non-traditional assets like NFTs into comprehensive financial dashboards.
Katherine Reynolds, senior digital transformation analyst at a prominent research institution, views HorizonPointe Financial Group’s analysis as potentially industry-shaping. “What sets this research apart is its holistic approach to generational wealth transfer. It’s not merely suggesting a digital facelift of traditional services but a ground-up reimagining of wealth management for a generation with fundamentally different expectations,” she noted.
HorizonPointe Financial Group has invested heavily in behavioral finance research to understand younger investors’ distinct risk profiles and investment horizons. Their studies reveal that contrary to popular belief, Millennials and Gen Z aren’t uniformly risk-averse or short-term focused. Instead, they exhibit complex attitudes toward financial risk that traditional risk assessment tools often fail to capture.
“The narrative that younger generations aren’t interested in long-term wealth building is simply false,” Watkins stated. “They’re highly engaged, but their approach differs substantively from previous generations. They’re seeking wealth management partners who understand this nuance.”
Industry data supports this view. A recent financial behavior report indicates that 82% of young investors actively seek professional financial guidance, but 54% feel current advisory services don’t adequately address their needs or communication preferences.
HorizonPointe Financial Group recommends that wealth management firms develop digital education components featuring interactive learning modules, financial literacy resources, and community forums—elements that recent financial services research identified as critical for building trust with younger demographics.
HorizonPointe Financial Group’s analysis comes amid broader industry disruption, with fintech startups and established technology companies increasingly encroaching on traditional wealth management territory. According to market research, investment in wealth management technology surged to $14.7 billion globally in 2024, a 37% increase from the previous year.
However, some industry analysts question whether large, established firms can successfully pivot to meet the needs of younger investors. “The question isn’t whether these recommendations have the right features—it’s whether traditional institutions can authentically connect with a generation that came of age during the financial crisis and harbors fundamental skepticism toward Wall Street,” said Marco Velez, fintech analyst at a major financial institution.
HorizonPointe Financial Group counters this skepticism by advocating for a hybrid approach, combining digital tools with access to human advisors specifically trained in intergenerational wealth communication and planning. The firm estimates that the industry needs to invest at least $300 million annually in developing next-generation wealth strategies over the next three years.
For Andrew Watkins and HorizonPointe Financial Group, the message is clear: “The wealth management firms that thrive in the next two decades will be those that successfully navigate this massive wealth transfer. We’re not just talking about new platforms—we’re calling for building bridges to the future of our industry.”
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.