Generation X—those born from 1965 to 1980, who now span the ages of 43 to 58—is the unseen, unappreciated middle child of the American generations. And when it comes to financial fitness and the building of wealth, Gen Xers are short on answers and long on needing a helping hand.

The youngest Gen Xers face another 20-plus years of work. The eldest can see retirement on the horizon, and they’re largely unprepared for it.

It’s a murky, hard-to-pin-down generation. This impact note will get at who Gen Xers are, the challenges they face, and the solutions that can be offered by financial institutions, wealth managers, financial planners, and vendors of self-directed tools.