The Big Moment: Preparing for the Great Wealth Transfer

Trillions of dollars are going to transfer in the coming years. No one knows the exact amount, but we do know this: those assets will go to heirs, to charity, or––with thoughtful planning––to both.

For nonprofits, this wealth transfer is more than an unprecedented trend. It is a defining moment.

But whether it becomes a pivotal opportunity or a missed one will depend on more than just luck. It will depend on vision.

Vision differs from dreams. Dreams occur when your eyes are closed and often disappear when you wake up. Visions require open eyes and planning. Planning leads to action.

Many nonprofits dream about receiving large estate gifts. Far fewer develop the vision required to pursue them intentionally.

Not Someday. Now.

The great wealth transfer is not a future event. It is already underway.

The great wealth transfer is not a future event. It is already underway.

Wills are being drafted. Trusts are being established. The distributions may occur years from now, but the decisions are happening today.

So, the question is simple:

Are you part of those conversations?

Most nonprofits focus almost exclusively on gifts of discretionary income. Those gifts matter. But gifts of net worth are often the ones that truly change an organization’s trajectory.

If we are not prepared to talk about the assets that comprise our donors’ net worth, we will not be included when decisions are made.

Education Before Solicitation

Tax laws intentionally incentivize charitable planning. There are strategies that can benefit both family and charity at the same time. Yet, the vast majority of fundraisers, as well as many donors, are unaware these choices exist.

You can’t teach what you don’t know.

Education must begin internally. Your staff doesn’t have to become tax technicians, but they must be familiar enough to recognize opportunity when they hear it. If your team cannot see the potential, you will miss it.

Many donors are more open to creative, tax-wise planning than we assume. 

When your team is educated, your supporters can be as well. Many donors are more open to creative, tax-wise planning than we assume. But someone must initiate the conversation—not with pressure, but with options.

Long-term thinking is essential. I understand that quarterly goals create immediate pressure. The irony is that long-term thinking often produces short-term benefits. When you are part of a donor’s planning conversation, you remain top of mind.

You don’t have to sit in the estate planning meeting. You do, however, have to be present in the donor’s thinking when those meetings occur. That presence doesn’t happen accidentally. It is built through intentional, consistent engagement over time.

Sustainability is relational before it is financial. I can assure you, when an attorney calls after a donor’s death and tells you that your organization is not included, it is far too late to build the relationship.

Engaging the Whole Family

Philanthropic people tend to raise philanthropic heirs. I’ve seen it time and again.

The motivations may differ: parents may give back because they started with nothing and built something, while heirs may give because philanthropy connects them to their community. But the value of generosity often transfers along with wealth.

Years ago, many fundraisers made the mistake of meeting only with the husband. We now recognize how shortsighted that was. Today, a similar mistake occurs when organizations focus solely on the parents and ignore the next generation.

If you engage the parents, engage the children. Include them in conversations and invite them to see the impact.

When charitable planning becomes a family conversation, it becomes a family gift.

When charitable planning becomes a family conversation, it becomes a family gift. The children feel part of it and see values behind it. When they are excluded, misunderstandings arise.

Transparency strengthens sustainability.

The Next Step

If you do one thing this year, start with education.

Equip your team to understand the strategies that allow families to care for both loved ones and the causes they value. Then educate your donors. Many will act when they understand the options available to them.

At its core, philanthropy is simple. There is joy in helping others. That impulse does not disappear when wealth changes hands.

Preparing for the great wealth transfer is ultimately about sustainability. The transfer will happen. The only question is whether we will have the vision to be ready.

©2026, Eddie Thompson, Ed.D., FCEP
Founder and CEO, Thompson & Associates

“If we merely aim for the industry standard, then our goal is mediocrity. Emulating the average nonprofit, we are destined to live with all the problems the average nonprofit faces. So, we suggest you aim to be exceptional in your approach to fund development.”