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For all the hoopla about the upcoming $90 trillion "Great Wealth Transfer", it appears likely that very few Americans will actually be on the receiving end of the massive inheritance pot.

Research from 2024 out of Northwestern Mutual shows a troubling mismatch of expectations (1).

While 38% of Gen Z anticipate they'll receive an inheritance, only 22% of boomers plan to leave one behind. That's a startling reality, given half of the survey's respondents also said an inheritance would be critical for their long-term financial security.

If you're among the majority who won't be able to rely upon an inheritance, there are steps you can take today to build wealth for tomorrow.

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How to start building wealth

It's crucial to leverage the power of compound returns as soon as you can, because if your money isn't being put to work while you sleep, it's losing value. While it's important to have cash set aside for emergency savings or money you'll use in the short-run, cash isn't always king. Cash is actually always at risk of deteriorating in value, unless you've got it in the right place.

This becomes particularly obvious when we look at the latest US inflation figures and across-the-board price rises. In 2025, consumer prices were 3.0% higher than the previous year, which is also 1.0% above the Federal Reserve's 2.0% inflation target (2). There are simple ways to make sure you don't end up surprised and unequipped for those rising costs.

Make sure you bolster those cash reserves

No matter your age or in come level, having emergency funds set asideis especially crucial if you don't have an inheritance coming your way. Make sure you have enough money set aside for several months of your expenses before you lock any cash away.

But just because you're setting funds aside doesn't mean you can't earn interest on them too. With a high-yield savings account you can watch your money grow, while also being able to access and withdraw it at any time. That makes it much easier to get the cash back into your hands, if you ever should need it.