We stand at the precipice of what may be the most significant economic shift of our lifetimes: an estimated $124 trillion in U.S. wealth will transfer through 2048, according to Fortune. This historic movement of assets will position women, nationally and here in Greater Philadelphia, to influence investment trends, philanthropy, and civic power in unprecedented ways.
But this is far more than a financial milestone. For our region, it represents a generational catalyst that could reshape economic mobility, neighborhood stability, and the leadership landscape of Greater Philadelphia. What makes this transfer truly historic is not only its size, but also the unprecedented concentration of assets flowing into women’s hands and how intentionally those assets will be used.
A convergence of wealth and influence with direct local implications
Women are expected to control almost 40 percent of U.S. wealth in just five years, according to UBS’s Own Your Worth Report. That shift will be felt in Philadelphia, where women are gaining ground by leading select anchor institutions, directing growing philanthropic capital, and holding more corporate roles, though significant gaps remain at the highest levels.
Of the $124 trillion transferring nationally, $54 trillion will go to surviving spouses — the vast majority of whom are women. Another $47 trillion will pass to younger generations, many of whom are Philadelphia’s emerging leaders and innovators. These are the women who sit on our nonprofit boards, run our family-owned businesses, and shape our civic priorities…