In 2025, financial advisors must address a transformative shift in wealth management. A striking 61% of clients have ended relationships with their advisors due to broken trust—a clear reminder that money matters are deeply personal and emotional.
The rise of solo living, combined with the Great Wealth Transfer, presents a unique opportunity to deepen your relationships with clients who are unmarried, unpartnered, or planning a life independently.
Nearly half of U.S. adults are single. Studies suggest that 25% of millennials and 33% of Gen Z may never marry. These individuals face unique financial planning needs, from housing and healthcare to retirement and legacy design. Yet many financial frameworks still assume a two-person household.
An estimated $84 trillion is expected to transfer between generations by 2045, much of it to heirs who are single—by choice, divorce, or widowhood. Advisors who recognize this shift can build deeper, more relevant relationships with clients whose financial lives fall outside the traditional nuclear family.
University of Colorado professor and behavioral economist Peter McGraw, PhD, recently highlighted the range of experiences within the single community during Shelton Capital Management’s Advisor Speaker Series, designed to bolster the client-advisor relationship. By structuring psychographic categories like “someday singles” to “no way” and “new way” singles, McGraw offered a framework for understanding the motivations, priorities, and financial behaviors across this growing demographic.
DINK(WAD)s, SINK(WAD)s, and HENRYS aren’t new acronyms to describe cohorts in the financial services industry; however, Dr. McGraw’s Single Insights bring a new outlook and scientific inquiry into “solo” behavior. Single clients represent a financially powerful and underestimated segment. This group is more likely to prioritize lifestyle-driven goals and embrace the philosophy of “dying with zero.” According to a 2025 Nasdaq report, couples without children have the highest median and average net worth of all family structures, with a median of $398,960 and an average of $1.87 million. They tend to have more flexibility in how they invest and spend money. With fewer caregiving responsibilities and no children to consider, many solo clients have greater autonomy—and often more capital—to shape their financial futures. This frequently includes a stronger focus on estate planning and defining their legacy, whether through support for extended family or personal causes. Advisors who understand these nuances can help clients craft strategies that reflect their values, whether that means funding a scholarship, supporting a sibling, or donating to a cause that aligns with their beliefs.
The solo demographic is expanding, and many in this group are poised to inherit or pass along significant assets. Everyone has been or will be single at some point in their life. Yet, they are still navigating a financial system largely designed for couples with children.
Advisors who design their approach for single clients can tap into a growing segment of high-net-worth individuals seeking strategies aligned with their independence and values. This requires rethinking traditional planning assumptions, offering flexible solutions, and anticipating the needs of clients without built-in support systems, creating one through financial, legal, and community tools.
Start by asking your solo clients questions—without assumptions—before offering solutions. Leading with curiosity builds trust and ensures that advice is grounded in their actual needs, not outdated norms. After all, everyone experiences singleness at some point in life—whether by choice, transition, or circumstance—and financial guidance should reflect that reality.
Read the article in Wealth Management’s Mid-Year Outlook:
The Untapped Opportunity: Serving Single Clients During the Great Wealth Transfer
Important Information
The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. The investment strategies mentioned here may not be suitable for everyone. Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decision.
All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions. Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed. Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results, and the opinions presented cannot be viewed as an indicator of future performance.
Investing involves risk, including loss of principal.
Investors should consider a fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other information about the fund. To obtain a prospectus, visit www.sheltoncap.com/ or call (800) 955-9988. A prospectus should be read carefully before investing.
