In what Portland Trust Company’s Amelia Dow calls a “crazy point of history,” women are poised to control more wealth than ever before. “It depends what study you look at,” she says, “but it’s in the trillions of dollars.” Economists have dubbed it the Great Wealth Transfer: over the next two decades, baby boomers are expected to pass down tens of trillions in assets—and a significant portion of that money will land in women’s hands, whether through inheritance, longevity, or their own rising earnings.
For Dow, who works closely with trust clients, the shift is already visible. “Historically, with baby boomers and a little bit of Generation X… women in the household weren’t expected to know about money,” she explains. “Women also weren’t typically out earning their own money.” What some interpret as a lingering misconception about women and investing, she sees instead as a societal evolution. “I’m not so sure it’s a misconception as much as it really is societal. Historically, the role for women with money has evolved and changed.”
In her practice, these changes often show up in deeply personal ways. Many clients are widowed baby boomers navigating financial decision-making on their own for the first time. “This is the first time that they’re having access or involved in financial decisions,” she says. But it’s not just older women stepping into new roles. Younger women are earning more, attaining higher levels of education, and moving into leadership positions. “Education has become more accessible to women. Jobs and leadership positions are more accessible to women. They’re getting paid more. We’re still not where we need to be in terms of equality… but that is helping.”
She’s observed notable differences in how women approach investing—differences that can be strengths. “Women are typically more patient with investing,” she says. “Many of them are more analytical. They ask a lot more questions about why we’re doing what we’re doing.” While she’s careful not to overgeneralize, she finds that curiosity and long-term thinking often serve women well. And in younger generations, the information gap is narrowing. “Our youngest investors ask so many questions—and we love that. It’s because information is available in a way never before.”
She often compares financial relationships to other professional partnerships. Some clients are comfortable trusting an expert’s guidance; others want to research, Google, and arrive armed with questions. “It’s really not that different from the other professionals that you work with,” she says. The key is finding your comfort zone and a trusted partner.
Another area where women are shaping the investment landscape is values-based investing. “Women do tend to be far more interested” in aligning portfolios with personal beliefs, she notes. From avoiding tobacco to supporting gender equity or sustainable energy, investors increasingly want their money to reflect their priorities. Years ago, such funds were niche and often underperformed. Today, they’re mainstream and more sophisticated. Rather than excluding industries and ending up with an unbalanced portfolio,” Dow now takes an inclusionary approach: “If a client comes to me and says, ‘I want a gender-neutral portfolio,’ then I go out and look for what I can add in.”
As unprecedented wealth moves into women’s hands, the stakes—and the opportunities—are enormous. Many inheritors, she notes, “have never ever had money before.” The moment calls for curiosity, confidence, and community.
Her wish for the next generation? It’s simple. “Start early,” she says. “Open a Roth IRA as soon as you can.” And above all: “Ask the questions and find trusted partners to help you in the same way that you would find a trusted attorney, a trusted doctor, a trusted accountant.” Because in this new era of investing, women aren’t just participants—they’re poised to lead.
“We’re in this crazy point of history where more money is being transferred to women than ever before—it’s in the trillions of dollars.”