Advising the Rising Generation 101

In the premiere episode of the PPI 101 podcast series, sponsored by the Merrill Center for Family Wealth, host Steve Legler sits down with Valerie Galinskaya, Managing Director and Head of the Merrill Center for Family Wealth, to explore what "rising generation" really means and why it matters for family wealth advisors. Valerie explains that the term is intentionally inclusive, spanning anyone from an 11-year-old to a rising generation member in her 60s, and shares research showing that nearly half of ultra-high-net-worth families now share financial decision-making across two or more generations, with limited governance and unclear expectations cited as the biggest challenges. Drawing on real client stories, she outlines a three-part approach to engaging the rising generation, listening without judgment, helping them build relevant skills, and ensuring advisory teams reflect the perspectives of those they serve, while offering practical language advisors can use to earn buy-in from skeptical parents. The conversation makes the case that understanding the rising generation isn't just good practice but essential to serving families well amid an estimated $124 trillion wealth transfer underway through 2048.