Tom West is a Senior Partner with Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, LLC, providing personalized financial planning and investment services to families in the Washington DC metro area.

Suzanne Schmitt is a financial wellness expert with nearly two decades of industry experience in consumer insights, product development and positioning, and marketing and market enablement in financial services.

In this episode of The Family Financial Conversation, Tom and Suzanne turn the spotlight on Generation X advisors, exploring the unique pressures and possibilities facing professionals in this overlooked cohort. Drawing from personal experience and industry observations, they unpack how Gen X advisors—many now in their 50s—are grappling with the “midlife sucker punch”: career transitions, technological shifts, sandwich generation pressures, and self-funded futures. From healthcare costs to student debt, this generation has been shaped by financial shocks and institutional shifts, and their clients often mirror those same challenges.

The conversation touches on the distinct value Gen X advisors bring to the table—from their adaptability and critical thinking to their ability to “speak Boomer” and guide meaningful family conversations about trade-offs and legacy planning. As institutions embrace AI-driven solutions, Tom and Suzanne call on Gen X advisors to stay involved, not just to survive but to lead. They close by teasing their next project, Longevity Strategists, which will focus on equipping advisors—especially those in Gen X—with the tools and frameworks needed to help clients age well, live independently longer, and make confident decisions in uncertain times.

Resources: Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, LLC.