Panel
Women, Money, and Power: Addressing the Feminization of Wealth | Global Conference 2026
Milken InstituteCheryl Evans, Cary Carbonaro, Dina DiLorenzo, Sylvia Kwan, Nicole Ari Parker, Barbara Stewart, Carrie Carbonaro
- Global wealth held by women is projected to reach 40% to 45% by 2035, control two-thirds of national wealth totaling $30 trillion by 2030, and grow to $54 trillion by 2048.
- A convergence of five factors—including longevity-driven inheritance, divorce involving 40% of U.S. divorces for women over 50, the tripling of women as primary breadwinners since the 1970s, and faster female business formation—is expected to drive this transfer within the next four years.
- Women are expected to reinvest 90% of income into families and communities compared to 40% to 50% for men, with current venture funding for women founders at 2%, charitable giving to women and children organizations at 2%, and political contributions at 30 cents per dollar compared to men.
- Increased financial agency is expected to result in women being twice as unlikely to leave partners after receiving an inheritance, while 86% of widows are projected to terminate financial advisors, and 94% of women will challenge the notion that lack of confidence drives the wealth gap.
- The financial industry is expected to face demand for non-linear career models accommodating caregiving breaks, relatable language replacing sports analogies, and a shift from risk-averse to "risk-aware" investment strategies.
- Women are expected to direct more capital toward philanthropy and a new class of "unapologetically feminine" sovereign wealth, prioritizing "return on life" metrics over simple returns and demanding access to complex investments.
- Significant life changes, including the firing of advisors and leaving relationships that no longer serve them, are expected to occur as women perceive a lack of confidence as a result of wealth rather than a cause of the gender gap.