The financial advice profession is facing two simultaneous transitions that could reshape the industry: an estimated $124 trillion will transfer between generations over the next two decades, and more than a third of today's financial advisors are expected to retire within the next decade. This convergence of events raises critical questions about who will guide families through retirement, wealth transfer, and financial planning, and who will lead advisory firms in the future.
Industry experts project the United States could face a shortage of about 100,000 financial advisors by 2034, making the need for new talent and leadership more urgent than ever. To address these challenges, the Association of African American Financial Advisors (Quad-A) will host the 2026 VISION Conference: The Wealth Shift: Ownership, Legacy & the Next Era, scheduled for September 10-12 in Washington, D.C.
The conference will convene more than 600 financial advisors, wealth management executives, asset managers, RIAs, corporate partners, policymakers, and students to discuss who will own, lead, and shape the future of financial advice. Notable speakers include renowned civil rights attorney Ben Crump and sports broadcaster Stephen A. Smith, who will offer perspectives on leadership, ownership, advocacy, and legacy.
“The wealth shift happening in American families is also happening inside advisory firms,” said Sheena Gray, CEO of Quad-A. “Ownership, leadership, and client relationships are all changing hands at once. Our responsibility isn't simply to prepare the next generation of financial advisors—it's to prepare the next generation of firm owners, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders who will define what this profession looks like for decades to come. That's the work Quad-A is here to do, and VISION is where those conversations spark action.”
As Quad-A marks its 25th anniversary, the conference highlights both the organization's legacy and its forward-looking vision. For a quarter century, Quad-A has worked to expand opportunity, cultivate leadership, and increase access to trusted financial guidance. Today, it continues to lead national conversations around the future of wealth management.
VISION 2026 will address key topics including succession planning and enterprise value, independent firm ownership and entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence in financial advice, wealth transfer and legacy planning, public policy and advocacy, and recruiting and mentoring the next generation of advisors. The event will be held at the JW Marriott Washington, DC, and members of the media are invited to attend sessions and interview speakers and attendees.
The conference underscores the importance of preparing for the demographic shifts that will define the profession’s future. With the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in American history underway, the decisions made today will determine who will manage and preserve that wealth, and how the advisory industry will evolve.
