Gen Z isn’t waiting around to “get serious” about money. They’re not pushing financial planning to their 30s or leaving investing for “later.” They’re hiring Gen Z financial advisors in their early 20s and building long-term wealth plans before many have even hit traditional milestones like marriage or buying a home.
This is a very different attitude from the generations before them. Young adults' financial planning has moved up the timeline, and the Gen Z advisor age started trend is reshaping the way the advice industry works.
An Investopedia survey found Gen Zers turn to professional help at an average age of 23. Millennials waited until 30, Gen X until 40, and Boomers until nearly 50.
They’re also stepping into the market earlier. Research shows the average when do Gen Z start investing answer is 19. Retirement saving often starts by 22. Millennials waited until about 25 to invest and 27 to save for retirement. Boomers were far later.
Early planning means Gen Z wealth management often begins before they’ve hit their highest earning years, a big advantage when compounding has decades to work.
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They grew watching housing prices skyrocket, inflation reducing buying power, and student loans furnishing their graduates with long spells of debt. For many, it is an obvious take: the financial goals parents had may not be achievable without a plan. Early financial advice for Gen Z is not about getting rich overnight: it is about staying ahead of a game that seems rigged against them.
Everything is expected to be accessible instantly. An advisor who cannot come on screen for a video call, encourages the young client to freely browse through portfolio updates on his cell phone, or explain strategy through a concise and unambiguous short message will surely be abandoned.
Advisors working with Gen Z financial advisors models are adapting, using subscription-style fees instead of traditional “assets under management” percentages, which makes sense for smaller starting portfolios.
Gen Z is not scared to research themselves. They'll watch investing videos and read blogs about comparison online. But they also know not everything that is online is trustworthy. Many want professional opinions to verify these ideas before taking major steps.
This is especially true for first-time investors, asking questions such as "When does Gen Z start investing?" and "How can they avoid costly mistakes?"
Money talk is everywhere online. TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit are flooded with financial tips. About 30% of Gen Zers say they’d go to social media for investing advice. Another 28% would ask friends first.
This makes finance very approachable, but nearly all of that advice ignores important details. That's where wealth management professionals for Gen Z step in, not to compete with social media but to give the depth and accuracy it so often lacks.
Serving Gen Z is not about throwing jargon at them; it is about meeting them where they are:
Not all Gen Zers are working with an advisor yet. The main barriers:
Still, the Gen Z advisor age started will likely keep dropping as the industry adapts to their expectations.
Gen Z’s approach to money isn’t just about beating inflation or picking the right investments — it’s about rewriting the role of money in their lives. Many see wealth not as a status symbol, but as a tool for freedom.
They want the ability to travel, start businesses, take career risks, and avoid living paycheck to paycheck. This is why young adults financial planning has shifted from being a “luxury service” to a basic step for anyone who wants options later.
They also challenge the idea that you have to wait until you’re “financially ready” to get advice. In their eyes, getting advice is what makes you ready. That’s a big reason why when do Gen Z start investing keeps trending younger every year.
Older generations might shrug and say, “Well, it’s easier when you’re young and don’t have responsibilities.” But the truth is, many Gen Zers do have responsibilities, debt, rising rent, family obligations, and they still find room for Gen Z wealth management strategies.
The lesson? You don’t need perfect circumstances to start. You just need to start with what you have. And while Gen Z is leading the way, there’s no reason Millennials, Gen X, or Boomers can’t take the same proactive approach.
| Trend | Gen Z |
| Average age seeking advisor | 23 |
| Average age investing | 19 |
| Average age saving for retirement | 22 |
| First info sources | Social media, friends |
| Barriers | Knowledge gaps, low income, distrust |
| What works | Transparent fees, digital service, full-scope planning |
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The question isn’t if Gen Z is starting early, they already are. The real takeaway is why. They’re stepping in young because they see the stakes clearly. They want control, clarity, and strategies that work for their reality.
For them, young adults financial planning isn’t a someday project. It’s part of life now. For advisors, the challenge, and opportunity, is to match that mindset and deliver the kind of Gen Z wealth management that earns trust early and keeps it for the long haul.
This content was created by AI