Generation X, long referred to as America’s “forgotten generation,” is about to step into the spotlight. Over the next decade, Americans aged 45-60 are projected to inherit an extraordinary $1.4 trillion every year, on average, according to a recent study by Cerulli Associates, a Boston-based research firm. This wealth transfer—not just massive in scale but also unprecedented in speed—places Gen X at the epicenter of the long-anticipated “Great Wealth Transfer.”
For decades, Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980, have seen their economic story overshadowed by the spending power of baby boomers and the tech-driven optimism surrounding millennials. And Gen X could be seen as unluck, says Chayce Horton, senior analyst with Cerulli: ““Gen X households have faced much more financial and career upheaval early in their financial journeys than had been expected,” he says, pointing out that no generation lost a greater percentage of its net worth in the Great Financial Crisis between 2007 and 2010 than Gen X households, seeing a 38% decline in net worth, from $63,000 to $39,000. “With stunted market growth from 2000–2010, many Gen X households lack a sense of comfort with their future retirement,” Horton says.
