The financial advice profession is at a critical juncture as it faces two simultaneous transitions: 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 threatens to leave a gap of about 100,000 advisors by 2034, raising urgent questions about who will guide families through retirement, wealth transfer, and financial planning, and who will lead the advisory profession in the future.
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, from September 10-12 in Washington, D.C. The event will bring together 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.
The conference will feature notable speakers, including 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."
As Quad-A marks its 25th anniversary, the conference underscores the organization's legacy and future 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 about the future of wealth management.
VISION 2026 will address key topics such as 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. Members of the media are invited to attend sessions and interview speakers and attendees.
The conference takes place at the JW Marriott Washington, DC. For more information about the conference and Quad-A's initiatives, visit Quad-A's website.
