• The wealthiest individuals may be able to weather a recession better than others, as they have more capital to invest and less reliance on day-to-day income. Those with strong assets and savings are best insulated. 
• Savers may benefit from higher interest rates, which can increase the return on their investments. Although recessions often see lowered rates to fuel economic activity. The 2020 Covid recession saw rates go to their lowest ever triggering unprecedented real estate activity.
• Investors with deep pockets may be able to find bargains on assets that have decreased in price during a recession or desperate sellers of assets including real estate. Right now there are massive swaths of corporate cash and billions in private equity awaiting buying opportunities. The more capital on the sidelines, the fewer the 'bargains'.

The poor, those with high debt service/highly leveraged and those who lose their jobs are the most negatively impacted by a recession. Massive job losses fuel belt-tightening amongst the unemployed, fear of spending amongst those who remain employed, and bigger strains on the social welfare nets for unemployment benefits. This can trigger bankruptcies and foreclosures. In an economy that's 70% fueled by consumer spending, the spending habits can shift quickly. It's extremely tough to secure a mortgage when unemployed or without regular income. Often governments step in to fuel/stimulate the economy via spending and/or tax cuts. But there are limits to how much any government can borrow.

However, life goes on and people have to keep spending on the basics: food, shelter, healthcare, utilities, etc. The economy does not stop, it merely slows. How far it slows is what defines the damage it inflicts. It can take years and even decades for some to fully recover - if at all - from a very deep recession or depression. Often the greatest fortunes are made during recessions as those with lots of capital have enormous buying opportunities.