Women rule the roost when it comes to household finances, but they are unprepared to handle the coming wealth transfer that many will be part of, says a new study.
Ninety-eight percent of women say they have sole or joint control of daily banking in their homes and 84 percent have full or joint responsibility for family investments. However, only 22 percent have a wealth transfer plan in place even though $3.2 trillion is expected to move from the older generation to their heirs in the near future.
The study was conducted by RBC Wealth Management and included 1,752 high-net-worth women with an average of $4.4 million in assets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Women, because they live longer, will frequently be the givers and the recipients in the massive transfer of wealth, according to the survey.
“Despite their rising influence on family wealth, most women are not prepared either give or receive this money,” the report says. “It is important that they have wealth transfer discussions with their benefactors and have a solid wealth transfer plan in place,” says Angie O’Leary, head of wealth planning at RBC Wealth Management-U.S.
The survey also shows that most women will wait until they die to give their money to the next generation. Only 27 percent say they intend to pass on their wealth to the next generation during their lifetime. A fear of running out of money during their lifetimes drives some of that reluctance. Twenty-seven percent say they do not feel they have enough money to give it away gradually.
Women also say they received little guidance when inheriting money. Only 29 percent of female inheritors indicate they received guidance from benefactors on how to use the assets and 36 percent say they received no guidance at all.