The overlooked significance of spousal wealth transfer

WHEN it comes to wealth transfer, most of the attention is placed on intergenerational flow of assets – grandparents to their children or grandchildren, for example. This is famously termed the “Great Wealth Transfer”.

However, a crucial interim step and form of wealth transfer is often overlooked: the horizontal inter-spousal transfer.

In the US, between 2024 and 2048, a staggering US$54 trillion are expected to first be passed between spouses before being passed on to other generations. Of that amount, 95 per cent will go to women.