A report published by UBS on 19 May 2025 concluded that the majority of wealthy women, including those expecting future inheritances, are largely unprepared for the substantial wealth transfers anticipated over the next two decades. According to the global wealth manager, an estimated $105trn is expected to change hands worldwide by 2045. Many women, given their longer life expectancies, are likely to experience two major inheritance events--first from parents and later from spouses--yet most remain ill-equipped to manage these transitions effectively.
Lack of communication and planning
UBS found that nearly one-third of women who inherited assets from parents had not previously discussed the transfer with them. Moreover, 40% of these women inherited without any estate or wealth transfer plans being in place. As a result, 80% of female inheritors encountered challenges during the process. More than half were confronted with financial surprises, including unexpected tax liabilities and delays in receiving their inheritance.
UBS’s Carey Shuffman, head of US Women’s Wealth, stated that this lack of communication left many women to manage considerable inheritances under difficult emotional circumstances, further complicating financial outcomes. Mike Camacho, head of US Wealth Management, added that the absence of proactive planning created unnecessary stress and confusion.
The report further revealed that 83% of widows experienced significant issues when assuming sole control of their household’s wealth. Many had not created a wealth transfer plan with their spouse, and 25% were unaware of the full extent or location of their partner’s assets at the time of death.
Lack of preparation
Among women expecting to inherit from parents in the future, almost 75% anticipated facing challenges with the transfer. UBS reported that 43% of these women had never seen their parents’ wills, while approximately one-third were unaware of where their parents’ assets were located, how those assets would be divided or whether any plan existed at all.
Financial expectations among these women were high, with 41% estimating they would inherit between $1m and $5m, and 25% expecting $5m or more. Despite the size of these anticipated inheritances, many of the same issues around lack of preparation and communication persisted.
Experienced inheritors urge better planning
Women who had already navigated the inheritance process expressed a strong desire to help future inheritors avoid the same difficulties. Of those who inherited from parents, 90% said it was important to understand the size and structure of the inheritance beforehand. Additionally, 87% stressed the importance of tax planning, and 78% advocated for open discussions around financial expectations with the person passing on the wealth.
UBS conducted the survey from 1 November to 29 December 2024, gathering insights from 2,000 female investors in the United States, each with at least $1m in investable assets. As of the fourth quarter of 2024, UBS managed $6.1trn in invested assets following its acquisition of Credit Suisse. The firm remains a key global player in wealth management, asset management and investment banking.
