The next decade has the potential to rewrite the landscape of wealth strategy and those who are served. As we stand at this crossroad, one path leads to the familiar, with Advisors serving the same clients and using the same approaches that once worked but now could risk stagnation. The other demands change: a future fueled by new markets, stronger connections, and strategies built for lasting growth and impact.
The change? Women.
By 2030, women are expected to control two-thirds of the nation’s wealth¹. This isn’t a trend; it’s a transformation changing the trajectory of an entire industry. And yet, many Advisors are still treating women as a niche market rather than the driving financial force they are.
The cost of delay to targeting women is high—for Advisors and for the women who stand to benefit from intentional financial guidance.
Let’s explore why this shift matters, what’s at stake, and why financial Advisors should prioritize this effort and lead the way forward.
A New Wealth Strategy: Guidance for Women as a Financial Force
The numbers tell a powerful story:
| Women control over $11 trillion in U.S. assets today, a number expected to nearly triple in the next decade.² | Women-owned businesses generate more than $1.9 trillion annually.³ | Over 90% of women believe they will be solely responsible for their finances at some point in their lives, whether through divorce, widowhood, or by personal choice.⁴ |
Statistics are only part of the picture: Women are not just accumulating wealth; they’re redefining how it’s managed, invested, and shared.
Beyond the Numbers: A Wealth Strategy Tied to Life Transitions and Rooted in Financial Confidence
Increasingly, women align financial decisions with personal values, social impact, and long-term goals. This shift influences everything from investment trends to philanthropic priorities, positioning women as both a powerful market and a transformative force in financial planning.
Women often approach money with a long-term, values-driven mindset focused on meaningful relationships and leaving a legacy. Rather than rushing decisions, they may seek advice and ask thoughtful questions to gain clarity around the purpose and impact of their financial choices.
When Advisors meet them where they are, listen with intent, and address both the financial and personal dimensions of their goals, women often respond with loyalty and advocacy, becoming the most vocal champions of an Advisor’s work.
The Power of Life Transitions
Transitional moments can offer potential gateways to financial engagement for women. These moments, often emotionally charged, are also financially pivotal. They can include:
- Career changes: Evaluating benefits, compensation, and future planning
- Caregiving: Balancing family needs with financial self-care and overarching goals
- Divorce: Rebuilding financial independence and redefining a long-term vision
- Retirement: Planning for longevity, lifestyle, and legacy
- Widowhood: Navigating grief while managing new financial responsibilities
Recognizing when a female prospect or client is experiencing a life transition begins with attentive listening and proactive engagement. Even if not explicitly stated, signs like uncertainty about future goals, hesitation around financial decisions, or a desire for more education and support can indicate a transition is underway.
By creating a safe space for open dialogue and asking thoughtful, empathetic questions, Advisors can uncover these pivotal moments and offer guidance that is both timely and deeply valued.
What Advisors Are Leaving on the Table
Every year that financial Advisors fail to connect meaningfully with female clients, they risk losing not only current assets under management (AUM) but also future growth, referrals, and generational wealth transfers.
Women are actively seeking Advisors who understand their values, life experiences, and financial goals. When they don’t feel seen or heard, they may disengage or even choose to take their wealth elsewhere. This attrition can quietly erode a business’s profitability and reputation.
Delayed Engagement, Compounded Losses
Because women tend to have extensive networks and remain loyal when well-served, missing the mark with one client can mean losing an entire circle of potential referrals. Waiting to adapt isn’t just falling behind; it’s forfeiting years of compounding growth, deeper relationships, and long-term relevance in a changing market.
Related: Building a Client Referral Flywheel
Delaying engagement with women isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s a compounding loss:
- Client Attrition: Women are more likely to leave Advisors who don’t align with their values or understand their needs. And when women leave their Advisors, they often take their family’s wealth with them. Studies show that over 70% of widows fire their Advisor within a year of their spouse’s death. ⁵
- Missed AUM Growth: Women’s wealth is growing rapidly. Advisors who delay engagement in women’s wealth strategies are potentially missing out on years of compounding AUM.
- Referral Loss: Women have deep networks. When they feel understood and build relationships, they refer. When they don’t, they walk and take their networks with them. This can significantly impact organic growth and brand reputation.
- Underutilized Services: Women may avoid estate planning, tax strategy, or insurance if they feel unheard or overwhelmed. This can lead to reduced fee-based revenue and missed opportunities for holistic planning.
- Brand Reputation: Businesses that aren’t seen as inclusive risk long-term erosion. In a competitive market, relevance is often retention. Advisors who fail to adapt may find themselves outpaced by those who do.
What Women Are Leaving on the Table
The cost of delay isn’t borne by Advisors alone. When women delay financial engagement, especially during critical life transitions, they risk missing out on years of investment growth, tax efficiency, and long-term movement toward their goals.
With a lack of financial focus or financial clarity, emotional decisions made during life transitions can lead to asset depletion, tax penalties, or inadequate insurance coverage. The absence of an intentional wealth strategy can also increase the likelihood of a higher lifetime tax burden and financial vulnerability. Beyond the numbers, the emotional toll can be significant: decision fatigue, stress, and lack of confidence can affect not only financial outcomes but also health, relationships, and career choices.
The Real Risks of Postponing an Intentional Wealth Strategy
These are just a few critical ways women may be financially impacted when they lack timely, personalized guidance. From missed investment opportunities to emotional stress, the consequences can be both immediate and long-lasting:
| Missed Investment Growth |
| Many women delay investing or stay in cash due to a lack of guidance and financial confidence, which can potentially cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over decades. |
| Poor Transition Decisions |
| Without a plan, emotional decisions can lead to asset depletion, tax penalties, or long-term insecurity. |
| Lack of Tax Strategy |
| Missing tax-efficient withdrawal strategies or charitable giving plans can result in a higher lifetime tax burden. |
| Underinsurance or Over-Insurance |
| Not having the right coverage for life, disability, or long-term care can leave women financially vulnerable or paying for unnecessary premiums. |
| Emotional Stress & Decision Fatigue |
| Feeling unsupported in financial decisions can lead to lower financial confidence, delayed action, and missed opportunities. Financial self-care can impact overall health, relationships, and life choices. |
Financial empowerment of women with timely, personalized financial guidance isn’t just good practice; it’s essential to helping women protect and grow their wealth.
| A Quick Thought Exercise Imagine if every woman had an Advisor who made an effort to truly understand not just her portfolio, but her story. Her values. Her dreams. Consider an Advisor meeting with a female client navigating divorce, concerned about the future. and unsure where to start. In the past, many Advisors may have offered a standard financial plan that followed their general process for all clients, focusing primarily on numbers and strategies without fully addressing the emotional weight and unique complexities of her situation. But today, you now have a powerful tool in your back pocket; you’ve been through the StrongHer Money® Ambassador program and are equipped with the knowledge, resources, and community to serve your client with greater intention.This approach goes beyond numbers, providing a framework built on empathy, behavioral insight, and practical relevance that reflects the transitions female clients are experiencing. Instead of focusing solely on numbers, you offer your client a roadmap built on empathy, behavioral insight, and real-life relevance that meets her where she is and reflects the transitions she’s navigating. Through foundational training, ongoing education, and subject matter expertise in areas like divorce, caregiving, and legacy planning, you’re equipped to guide her through emotional and financial complexities with clarity and care. Your confidence is supported by a robust library of curated resources, from plug-and-play tools and co-branded marketing assets to client-facing literacy materials, all designed with behavioral science and user experience in mind. And through personalized coaching and a collaborative community of like-minded Advisors, you foster professional growth and expand your ability to effectively reach and serve more women. StrongHer Money® isn’t just a program. It is an accelerated growth engine designed for Advisors that want to attract, win, and serve women well. |
How StrongHer Money® Is Closing the Gap: Reimagining Wealth Guidance for Women
The StrongHer Money® Ambassador program stands apart as a fully integrated, enterprise-level accelerated growth platform designed specifically to help Advisors serve women with greater intention, effectiveness, and scalability.
Comprehensive, Behaviorally Informed Training
- Foundational and ongoing education on what influences women’s financial decisions.
- Self-paced certification paired with quarterly, track-based training on life transitions such as career changes, caregiving, divorce, retirement, and legacy planning.
Personalized Business Growth Support
- One-on-one business coaching to develop customized, scalable growth strategies.
- Peer accountability groups and mentorship to support implementation and sustained success.
Plug-and-Play Advisor & Client Resources
- Advisor Toolkit: co-branded marketing templates, persona cards, event kits, and sales enablement playbooks.
- Client Toolkit: financial literacy worksheets and resources for meaningful client engagement.
Immersive Community & Learning Experiences
- In-person boot camps, annual retreats, and client prospecting events designed to foster connection and attract right-fit clients.
- Virtual webinars, peer-led connection groups, and a digital knowledge hub for ongoing learning and collaboration.
Curated Content & Research-Driven Insights
- Advisor Bookshelf with industry research and market trend insights to keep Advisors informed and relevant.
- All resources are grounded in behavioral science and user experience principles to promote client-centered engagement.
Related: The Art of Relationship-Building With Advisory Clients
Ready to Serve Women With Purpose and Impact?
For Advisors who believe women deserve more than a one-size-fits-all approach, the StrongHer Money® Ambassador program offers a path to:
- Build the knowledge and insight to connect with women on a deeper level.
- Leverage tools that bring intentional strategies to life.
- Join a community committed to advancing meaningful change.
Become a StrongHer Money® Ambassador and start building a business designed to empower women and drive sustainable growth. Start your journey today.
¹McKinsey & Company, Women as the Next Wave of Growth in US Wealth Management, 2020
²Corebridge Financial, Women Speak Out on Money Matters, 2024
³American Express, State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, 2019
⁴Bank of America, Women, Money, Confidence: A Lifelong Relationship, 2024
⁵CFA Institute, Suddenly Single: Women and Wealth, 2021