Wealth transfer needs drive demand for tax efficiency and portfolio stability: study

Wealthy clients also want customised intergenerational wealth strategies, the study found.

The topic of inheritance is shifting the attitudes of wealth firms’ clients, with rising demand for inter-generational transfer, tax efficiency, and long-term portfolio stability.

Over 1 in 2 (54%) of wealth firms said that tax-efficient investment structures count as the most valuable resource and support to help their clients manage inter-generational transfers, according to the Global Wealth Study 2025 published by the Thinking Ahead Institute.

Portfolio design and asset allocation (43%) and customised intergenerational wealth strategies (34%) followed, the study found, based on responses from 250 professionals across 151 wealth firms in 27 countries.

Firms also increasingly note the importance of preserving capital amid rising macroeconomic and geopolitical risks.

Sources of wealth have begun to shift and differ by region. In the Asia Pacific and Continental Europe, clients derive their wealth from business ownership at 76% and 67%, respectively. In the UK and North America, however, 77% and 69% of clients’ wealth are from inherited assets.

Business ownership, inherited assets, and financial investments form the top three sources of wealth globally.

Clients also show increasing interest in aligning their investments with personal values, particularly around sustainability and impact, and expect wealth firms to offer tailored advice, digital tools, and strategic support that reflect these evolving priorities, the study found.