An estimated $124 trillion is expected to pass from Baby Boomers to their heirs by 2048, marking one of the largest transfers of wealth in history. And women are expected to play a particularly significant role.
Sharon Epps, President of Kingdom Advisors, joined the show today to discuss this historic shift and the opportunity it presents for women to approach wealth with wisdom, preparation, and biblical faithfulness.
Why Women Are at the Center of the Wealth Transfer
Economists have been talking about the Great Wealth Transfer for years, but it is no longer simply a future prediction. The transfer is already underway.
Women are uniquely positioned within it in part because they tend to live longer than men. As a result, many women will experience both intragenerational transfers—wealth passing from a spouse—and intergenerational transfers from parents and other family members.
But inheritance is only one part of the picture.
Women already earn income, manage household resources, invest, give, and make significant financial decisions. Research indicates that women are involved in approximately 94% of household purchasing decisions.
That means the stewardship opportunity ahead doesn't begin when an inheritance arrives. It is already here.
A Biblical Legacy of Women and Stewardship
Women using financial resources to advance God’s purposes is nothing new.
Luke 8:1–3 describes several women who supported Jesus and His disciples out of their own means. These women were not merely observers of Christ’s ministry. Their financial generosity helped make the work possible.
Likewise, in Romans 16:1–2, Paul commends Phoebe and describes her as a benefactor of many, including himself. In a culture where women often had limited social and economic influence, Phoebe used what God had entrusted to her to serve others and help advance the gospel.
Their examples remind us that financial stewardship has always been about something greater than accumulating or managing money. It is about faithfully using whatever God provides for His purposes.
Faithfulness Changes With the Seasons
1 Corinthians 4:2 says, “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”
That calling applies to every believer, but the practical responsibilities of stewardship can look different in different seasons.
A woman may move through seasons as a student, professional, wife, mother, caregiver, business owner, widow, retiree, or some combination of these roles. At various times, she may be an earner, an inheritor, a household financial manager, or all three.
The circumstances change, but the responsibility remains: stay informed, equipped, and engaged with the resources God has entrusted to you.
That can mean understanding the household finances, learning how investments work, participating in conversations about estate planning, preparing for retirement, or developing a thoughtful plan for generosity.
Faithful stewardship does not require becoming a financial expert. But it does require engagement.
Money as a Tool for Purpose
For some women, managing finances comes naturally. Others may quickly say, “I’m just not a numbers person.”
But stewardship is about much more than numbers.
Money is a tool that can help us care for family, support ministries, meet needs, practice hospitality, create opportunities for others, and generously participate in work that matters to us.
Seen through that lens, financial stewardship becomes less about mastering spreadsheets and more about connecting resources with purpose.
Whether wealth is earned, inherited, or managed on behalf of a household, every dollar presents an opportunity to ask: How can I use what God has entrusted to me faithfully?
An Opportunity for the Whole Family
The Great Wealth Transfer also creates an opportunity for important conversations between husbands and wives, parents and children, and across generations.
Preparing the next steward involves more than transferring assets. It means passing along wisdom. Families can begin discussing questions such as:
- What has God entrusted to us?
- What values do we want our financial decisions to reflect?
- How much is enough?
- What role should generosity play in our estate plans?
- Is the next generation prepared to manage what they may eventually receive?
These conversations can help transform inheritance from a simple financial transaction into an intentional act of stewardship.
Preparing for an Historic Stewardship Opportunity
The coming wealth transfer represents an extraordinary financial moment, but for Christians, the most important question is not simply who will control the wealth.
It is how that wealth will be stewarded.
Women have faithfully earned, managed, given, and used resources for God’s purposes for generations. As trillions of dollars change hands in the decades ahead, women of faith have another significant opportunity to continue that legacy.
The goal is not merely to receive more wealth, but to be prepared to manage God’s money God’s way—using it wisely, generously, and faithfully for the purposes He places before us.
This month, FaithFi is releasing its first-ever special edition of Faithful Steward magazine, entirely focused on women stewarding wealth. When you become a FaithFi Partner, we’ll send you this special issue as our way of saying thank you for supporting the ministry.
Learn more at FaithFi.com/Give.
On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:
- Can you recommend a reputable Christian debt consolidation company that could help lower a large monthly payment?
- I’m almost 69 and plan to wait until 70 to claim Social Security. If I keep working after 70, will my benefit continue to increase, and do I still pay Social Security taxes? I also keep having to pull from savings to cover my checking account. Who can help me build a realistic budget and get my spending under control?
- My wife and I earn a good income but still owe taxes each year. I’ve increased my 401(k) contributions to lower taxable income. Is that the best approach, or should I adjust my withholding or set money aside for taxes?
- I’m 65, plan to keep working, and have about $20,000 in savings with monthly expenses around $4,000. How should I use that money to prepare for retirement?
Resources Mentioned:
Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources.
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