In a recent interview with Image magazine, Laura Reidy, Director of Wealth Management at Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland, spoke to Leonie Corcoran about the growing role women play as stewards of their family’s wealth and why forward planning is essential to leaving a meaningful legacy.

Building generational wealth in Ireland has evolved. ​ It is no longer a passive exercise in inheritance, but a deliberate act of design. ​ Today, women are increasingly the primary “architects” of their family’s financial future, balancing complex careers, family care and long-term legacy with a high degree of intentionality. ​ “In my experience, today women are confidently taking the lead in shaping family wealth,” says Laura Reidy, director of wealth management at Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland. ​ “Far from being just recipients, women are now the planners, stewards and architects of legacies, guiding how wealth is preserved, grown and passed on.” To act as a financial architect, we need to first look at the broader blueprint of what constitutes a family’s wealth. ​ “Taking this role starts with understanding the full picture of family assets, engaging in open conversations and aligning decisions with both personal and generational goals,” Laura explains. ​

Navigating The “Caregiver Gap” ​

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With the vision established, the architect must then confront the practical hurdles of the Irish financial landscape, which is most notably for women, the “caregiver gap”. ​ In Ireland, the gender pension gap remains at roughly 35 per cent, which is influenced by women taking career breaks to care for children, parents or other family members. ​ “The system itself isn’t intentionally biased, but its reliance on continuous contributions means that time out of the workforce directly affects long-term outcomes. ​ Women can address this by taking advantage of higher age-related contribution limits and combining this with proactive planning. ​ These steps can help rebuild retirement savings and ensure long-term financial security while supporting generational wealth goals. ​ “While the Irish system doesn’t provide formal ‘catch-up’ contributions, there are ways to rebuild savings, including: additional voluntary contributions (AVCs), subject to age-related limits and earning caps; active professional advice and investment management; negotiating improved employer contributions where possible.” ​

Getting Into Action ​

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She has a reassuring outlook for women who are worried that they are “starting late” when it comes to future planning. ​ “The key is taking action now,” she explains. ​ “For a woman in her early forties with a child, for example, the first step is to get a clear picture of her current financial position and define her goals: what lifestyle she wants in retirement, and what legacy or generational wealth she wants to create for her child. ​ “From there, the focus is on building a diversified plan that reflects both your time horizon and your need for accessible funds. ​ This typically includes retirement planning; investments that can grow wealth over the medium to long term, while considering how much liquidity you may need along the way; and education and legacy planning, which involves exploring savings or investment options for your child and thinking about estate planning to protect and pass on assets. ​ “Even starting in your forties, taking a structured, goal-focused approach can make a meaningful difference,” she says. ​

Designing The Blueprint ​

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For women in the positive position of coming into significant wealth – whether through a business sale or an inheritance – strategic wealth management often begins with a pause. ​ Laura advises a deliberate 90-day phase focused on “understanding, protecting, and structuring her financial position before making any major decisions.” Her tips include firstly taking stock of assets and liabilities: create a clear picture of what you own and any existing obligations. ​ Next, protect wealth. ​ Review insurance, legal documents and consider immediate tax or estate implications. ​ Then, set goals and priorities. ​ Define personal, family, and generational objectives – what lifestyle, legacy and impact do you want. ​ Lastly, engage professional advisors: tax, legal and investment experts who can help design a tailored wealth strategy. ​ “This period is about clarity and planning, not spending; laying the foundation for long-term financial architecture,” she notes. ​

Gifting And Protecting ​

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Once the blueprint is in place, the focus shifts to the tools that move wealth across generations. ​ With the Group A (Parent-to-Child) threshold at €400,000, the value of a primary residence alone can often trigger a significant Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) bill, which is often overlooked. ​ However Laura shares two essential strategies that women can utilise. ​ The first is the €3,000 annual gift exemption, which is a powerful but underutilised tool. ​ “The real value is not the size of the gift but can be the consistency and discipline in transferring wealth early on,” says Laura. ​ Two parents utilising this over 20 years can transfer €120,000 to a child entirely outside their lifetime threshold. ​ The second are Section 72 and 73 policies which are the “revenue-approved” blueprints for efficiency. ​ A Section 73 policy helps cover gift tax on lifetime transfers, while a Section 72 policy provides funds specifically to cover inheritance tax. ​ “A Section 72 policy effectively ring-fences money for inheritance tax in a way that maximises tax efficiency and preserves family assets,” she explains. ​

Active Leadership

Central to Laura’s ethos – and that of her colleagues at Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland – is her encouragement to take action today, with the right support in your corner. ​ “By actively leading estate planning, women can ensure family wealth reflects their values, supports long-term financial resilience, and creates a lasting legacy for future generations. ​ Find out more at cantorfitzgerald.ie. ​

This article was written by Image Magazine’s Senior Business Editor, Leonie Corcoran.