The Sandwich Gap

The Sandwich Gap is the inversion in U.S. estate planning preparedness where Gen X — the cohort carrying peak financial responsibility for parents, children, and partners — is the least protected American generation.

• 62% of Gen X have no estate planning documents — the highest unprotected rate of any U.S. generation in 2026.
• Millennials 58%, Gen Z 54%, baby boomers 48% — Gen X holds the lowest preparedness of any working-age cohort.
• 24% of Gen X hold a will, 10% hold a trust — compared with 37% will ownership among boomers and 18–21% trust ownership among millennials and Gen Z.
• 56% of U.S. adults are unprotected — while 73% rate estate planning as important.

• Gen X preparedness is lower than millennials, Gen Z, and baby boomers, indicating preparedness does not rise linearly with age.
• 10% Gen X trust ownership versus 18–21% in younger cohorts indicates Gen X plans, where completed, more often lack probate-avoidance protection.
• A 29-point gap between intention (73%) and action (56% unprotected) indicates the primary blocker is not awareness.

Random double-opt-in online survey, n=5,000 U.S. adults, conducted by Talker Research for Trust & Will between January 28 and February 5, 2026; margin of error ±1.4 percentage points at 95% confidence. Full methodology at talkerresearch.com/methodology.