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They have millions in the bank — but without kids, who makes their life-or-death decisions?

MarketWatch
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A growing demographic of affluent, child-free adults—dubbed "solo agers"—faces a critical gap: despite substantial wealth, roughly 25% of U.S. adults lack children to act as decision-makers in emergencies or estate planning. These financially secure individuals, who’ve built robust retirement portfolios, often delay designating power of attorney or healthcare proxies, risking unplanned medical or financial crises later in life. To fill the void, solo agers are increasingly hiring professional "next-of-kin" services—third-party agents authorized to make life-or-death decisions, from medical care to asset distribution. The trend highlights a shift away from traditional family-centric wealth management, as Wall Street’s focus on generational transfers fails to address the needs of this child-free, aging population. Experts warn that without proactive planning, solo agers could leave their legacies—and critical end-of-life choices—to court-appointed strangers or state intervention.
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They have millions in the bank — but without kids, who makes their life-or-death decisions?

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Site SearchClearSEARCHAdvanced Search ➔Search ResultsSymbolsNo results foundAll NewsArticlesVideoPodcasts0 ResultsNo Results FoundAuthorsNo results foundSectionsNo results foundColumnsNo results found FA CenterOpinion: They have millions in the bank — but without kids, who makes their life-or-death decisions?Wall Street caters to generational wealth, but a rising class of child-free ‘solo agers’ is hiring a professional next-of-kinPublished: April 27, 2026 at 8:10 a.m. ETShareResizeRoughly 25% of U.S. adults have no children. Many of these “solo agers” quietly delay estate planning. Photo: Getty ImagesThey’ve done everything right financially — saved aggressively, invested well, and built retirement portfolios that could last decades.Affluent “solo agers” have financial security and a detailed retirement map — but many lack something much more basic: a clear estate plan and someone authorized to make decisions if they can’t. Show Conversation (0)Back To TopA Dow Jones CompanyCopyright © 2026 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved.Terms of UsePrivacy NoticeCookie NoticeArchive MarketwatchCustomer CenterContact UsNewslettersNewsroom RosterVirtual Stock ExchangeMarketWatch GuidesCopyright PolicyManage NotificationsCancel My SubscriptionCompanyDow JonesCode of ConductCorrectionsReprints & LicensingDigital Self ServiceYour Ad ChoicesCorporate SubscriptionsAccessibilityDow Jones NetworkThe Wall Street JournalBarron'sInvestor's Business DailyFinancial News Londonrealtor.comMansion GlobalDow Jones Smart MoneyIntraday Data provided by FACTSET and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by FACTSET. All quotes are in local exchange time. Real-time last sale data for U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only. Intraday data delayed at least 15 minutes or per exchange requirements.

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Source: MarketWatch