Patrick Dwyer, managing director at NewEdge Wealth in Miami, states that many clients with assets ranging from USD 100 million to one billion are anxious about their children's future. They fear that young adults aged 22-35 will find it difficult to build careers, even in traditionally lucrative fields like technology, law, or medicine.

Indeed, the US labor market is becoming increasingly challenging for young people, regardless of their background. The unemployment rate for recent graduates rose to 9,7% in 9/2025. Excluding the pandemic period, 2024 was also recorded as the weakest recruitment year in the US since 2009.

Anh minh hoa: Newsweek

According to Michael Hans, chief investment officer at Citizens Wealth, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and escalating living costs are causing older employees to change jobs less frequently. This results in fewer opportunities for young people to enter the job market, a phenomenon known as the "Big Stay" effect.

"Many workers are choosing to 'stay put', leaving entry-level personnel with no room to break in," notes Nich Tremper, an economist at the HR platform Gusto.

This pressure extends to the affluent. Previously, the success formula for children from wealthy families was simple: attend a prestigious school, intern at a large company, and advance through connections. But now, "the rules have changed," Dwyer says. Many parents fear that if their children cannot earn their own money, they will lose autonomy over their lives, even with a substantial inheritance.

To adapt, ultra-wealthy families are altering their strategies. Instead of pushing their children into traditional corporate paths fraught with layoff risks, they are encouraging and funding them to start businesses as early as their 20s.

Entrepreneurship is often considered a challenging path with a high failure rate. However, children from wealthy families benefit from a robust financial safety net. They have the privilege to try and fail multiple times.

"Families are no longer indulging unconditionally but are focused on preparing their children with survival skills," Dwyer explains.

By running small businesses, these "rich kids" cultivate discipline, resilience, and practical skills such as finance and marketing. These are qualities that university degrees or old connections no longer guarantee in the AI era.

Ngoc Ngan (According to CNBC)