Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent survey finds that while investors are largely accepting of financial advisors' use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in their practices, they want to know how their advisor is using it, as their comfort varies significantly based on how it's used (with clients being significantly more accepting of their advisor using AI for administrative tasks or educational content but much less so for investment recommendations or automated responses to texts or emails). Which suggests that advisors can build trust with their clients (a factor which the survey suggests human advisors appear to maintain an advantage over AI advice tools) by being open with prospects and clients not just concerning whether they're incorporating AI tools into their practices, but also the specific functions they're used for (and how client data might be impacted).

Also in industry news this week:

• Single Americans are largely financially confident, according to a recent survey, but appear to have planning gaps when it comes to insurance coverages and estate planning documents that are particularly important for unmarried individuals
• Donors appear to have primarily altruistic motivations for their giving and want to get into the details of how their gifts are being used, according to a recent survey, suggesting that advisors could provide a deeper level of support for charitably minded clients by going beyond the tax implications of different giving methods and helping clients maximize the impact of the gifts they make

From there, we have several articles on retirement planning:

• How knowing whether a client worries more about outliving their assets or about underspending in retirement can help advisors match them with an appropriate income generation strategy
• How uncovering values and goals can encourage hesitant retired clients who can afford to spend more on what's most important to them
• Why uncertain "healthspans" mean that some clients might treat retirement more as a sprint rather than as a marathon (and prefer to front-load their spending)

We also have a number of articles on practice management:

• How financial advisory firms can create cash compensation structures that scale as the firm grows
• Why incentive compensation structures sometimes come with unintended consequences that could reduce trust between a firm and its employees
• Four features that make up successful advisory firm compensation plans, from creating opportunities for advancement to offering benefits that match employees' needs

We wrap up with three final articles, all about AI and the future of work:

• How advisors can respond effectively when a client consults an AI chatbot with financial planning questions (and brings the output to their next meeting)
• Why AI might not lead to a job 'apocalypse', and how those working in human-centric fields could thrive into the future
• While AI tools have made it easier than ever to discover information, the reduced friction involved in learning and training could ultimately prove detrimental to individuals' expertise (and job security) as well as organizations' institutional knowledge

Enjoy the 'light' reading!

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An important (albeit time-consuming) part of running an RIA is fulfilling the compliance obligations required by the firm's regulator(s). Currently, firms with at least $100M of regulatory Assets Under Management (AUM) or that would be required to register with at least 15 states typically must register with and be overseen by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), while other (smaller) firms are regulated by their home state, plus in most cases any additional state(s) in which they have at least 5 clients. However, the proportion of RIAs meeting the threshold for SEC registration has steadily increased over the years, owing to both the overall growth of the RIA model, and the development of technology allowing RIAs to scale up faster (even as they remain relatively "small" businesses, with even most SEC-registered RIAs employing only a handful of team members and managing 'just' a few hundred million in assets, both of which pale in comparison to the small number of mega-RIAs and asset managers that dominate most of the industry's AUM).

Amid this backdrop, the SEC is considering a pair of changes that would change the regulatory landscape for many RIAs.

First, the SEC has issued a proposed amendment that would change the definition of a "small entity" RIA for purposes of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (which is designed to prevent rules and regulations from creating an undue regulatory burden on small businesses) from $25M of AUM to $1B of AUM (while also considering using a revenue- or employee headcount-based threshold in lieu of an AUM-based threshold). A new threshold of $1B of AUM would increase the number of SEC-registered RIAs that qualify as "small entities" from just 3% today up to 75% (though those 75% would still only account for 3% of all RIA-managed assets given the concentration of assets in a few mega-firms!). And so if the proposed amendment is adopted (as appears likely, given fairly broad support expressed during the proposal's comment period), the pace of SEC rulemaking would likely slow down as it would have to more carefully consider and weigh the potential impact of proposed new rules on a drastically increased number of "small entities" it oversees – likely providing a level of future regulatory relief for relatively smaller RIAs who don't have the revenue to support hiring dedicated compliance staff to handle increased regulatory obligations.

A separate (and not yet officially proposed) change that was nevertheless hinted at by Acting SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda in public comments last year would also increase the regulatory AUM threshold for firms to register with the SEC from the current $100M to perhaps $1B, which would have the result of shifting thousands of currently SEC-registered firms (back) to state registration (likely with many firms needing to register in multiple states given the broader geographic distribution of clients for most firms, especially in the post-COVID virtual-meeting era). While such a change would reduce the number of RIAs under SEC oversight (potentially allowing it to focus on the largest RIAs representing the greatest systemic risk for consumers, and better aligning the number of firms the SEC must oversee with its Congressionally-limited budget), it could also significantly increase the compliance burden on many RIAs that would be forced to grapple with the complexity of multi-state registration, particularly when those states' laws and regulations don't fully line up with each other. Which could cause larger state-registered firms to flock to affiliate with SEC-registered corporate RIA platforms that could take certain compliance obligations off of their plates (or simply render them eligible for Federal rather than state registration), opting to sacrifice some of their independence to remain SEC-registered rather than struggle with increased compliance burdens under state registration.

Ultimately, the key point is that in the 15+ years since the SEC last updated its registration threshold (and nearly 30 years since the "small entity" threshold's last update), there have been enough changes in the RIA landscape – both in terms of average firm size and the number of states in which firms do business in the virtual meeting and niche client marketing era – that it makes sense to rethink how to divide between state and SEC registration. Because ironically, while most RIAs truly are "small" businesses that in aggregate comprise only a small fraction of industry AUM, it's perhaps those firms (with less capacity for handling compliance burdens) that would benefit most from following a single uniform SEC standard rather than a maze of often-conflicting state-level regulations, as well as from slower pace of rulemaking that would likely result from the proposed higher "small entity" AUM threshold. So if the SEC does eventually end up raising its registration threshold, we may expect to see a bigger push for states to further standardize their securities regulations to reduce the compliance burden on state-registered firms – or else see a flood of small- and mid-sized advisory firms affiliate with corporate RIAs to avoid state-level regulation altogether!

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Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 490th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast!

My guest on today's podcast is Liz Miller. Liz is the founder of Summit Place Financial Advisors, an RIA based in Summit, New Jersey, that oversees approximately $300 million in assets under management for 37 client families.

What's unique about Liz, though, is how she has grown her firm in part by both offering a high-touch service model for her high-net-worth clients and by serving their children and grandchildren, creating continuity for the firm as family wealth passes between generations.

In this episode, we talk in-depth about how Liz attracts her high-net-worth clients not necessarily through traditional financial planning analyses (as most of them run little risk of running out of money) but rather by ensuring that no key planning issues fall through the cracks (saving the clients time and anxiety in the process), how Liz uses checklists to show clients that her firm is on top of key planning issues and to highlight topics that have been successfully completed, and why Liz starts her discovery meetings by allowing prospects to lay out any financial concerns that are on their mind (as they might not be able to focus as well on other topics if particular pain points are bothering them).

We also talk about how Liz brings up multigenerational planning conversations starting in the prospect phase (allowing clients to decide whether they want to bring their children into the fold or have her firm reach out), how Liz balances the benefits of intra-family communication about financial issues with the privacy obligations her firm has regarding each generation’s financial situations, and how Liz cultivates relationships with the next generation at different ages (for instance, helping individuals in their 20s get off on the right foot with saving and workplace benefits or supporting those in their 30s managing financial issues related to their children), building client relationships that typically persist after they eventually inherit their parents’ wealth.

And be certain to listen to the end, where Liz shares how investing her high-net-worth clients’ assets in individual securities allows her to offer tax and expense savings compared to a fund-based approach, why Liz expects clients to continue to seek out human advisors in a world of growing AI capabilities given human advisors’ ability to physically ‘be there’ for clients facing complex planning issues that require communication with multiple professionals, and how Liz has found significant benefits from participating in professional organizations (including serving as chair of CFP Board), both in terms of building a strong professional network and to help advance the financial planning industry as a whole.

So, whether you’re interested in learning about providing more effective multigenerational services, building the trust of high-net-worth prospects and clients by not letting tasks slip through the cracks, or the benefits of participating in financial planning organizations, then we hope you enjoy this episode of the Financial Advisor Success podcast, with Liz Miller.

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When a financial advisory client makes a referral to their advisor, all parties can benefit: the referrer is able to connect a friend or family member with a high-quality financial advisor, the referred individual receives a valuable personal recommendation to a professional who could have a major impact on their life, and the advisor receives an introduction to an individual who could become a long-time client (and refer others as well!). However, some advisors are hesitant to actively solicit client referrals for fear of potential awkwardness or even hurting a relationship with a client.

In this guest post, relationship marketing expert Bill Cates discusses how financial advisors can get more 'unsolicited' referrals from clients (though this process is by no means 'passive') and increase the chances that those who are referred would make good-fit clients.

To start, clients tend to make more referrals when they feel strongly about the value they're receiving from their advisors. Notably, there are opportunities to learn from both prospects and clients about what part of the advisor's value proposition sticks out to them. For instance, an advisor might ask a new client what 'tipped the scales' in their decision to move forward or ask an existing client during a review meeting what they like about their working relationship with the advisor.

In addition, clients are more likely to become advocates for their advisors when they experience a transformation as a result of financial planning. For instance, through cash flow management, an advisor might be able to show their client that they can do and have things they previously thought weren't possible.

Further, advisors can be proactive in educating clients to increase the chances of receiving good-fit referrals. For instance, letting clients know who the advisor serves best or for whom the advisor's processes are best suited can lead to better-fit matches (also, having a client niche and/or ideal client persona can make it even clearer to clients who the advisor serves best).

While an advisor might be hesitant to directly ask for a referral they can still plant referral 'seeds' in a less direct manner. For example, they might encourage clients to "share the experience" or (particularly if the advisor has a sense of humor) tell a client "don't keep me a secret". Also, to relieve potential concerns clients might have about making a referral, the advisor could assure clients that they will handle their (and the referred individual's) information confidentially and that referrals work best with a warm introduction (e.g., an email "handshake" from the client connecting the referred individual with the advisor and letting each party know a little more about the other).

Ultimately, the key point is that because client referrals can be a powerful source of organic growth for advisory firms, taking the time to discuss the value clients are receiving, finding opportunities for client 'transformations', and educating current clients on the types of individuals the advisor serves best can be worthwhile investments that result in more high-quality introductions (while reducing potential awkwardness in the process!).

65 percent of high-net-worth clients prefer to meet their advisor via referral. Without a reliable process to generate those referrals that turn into connections, advisors could be missing out on qualified prospects. However, many advisors are hesitant to ask for referrals, instead hoping current clients refer their connections unsolicited. The question becomes, how can advisors increase the chances of receiving unsolicited referrals?

Unsolicited referrals happen because an advisor has become super referable. The client experience and the client-advisor relationship has to become remarkable, i.e., worthy of remark.

Unsolicited referrals that turn into introductions and connections happen because of the advisor : how they intentionally build advocacy based on the principle of borrowed trust. (You borrow the trust in one relationship long enough to earn your own. You ' repay ' that borrowed trust by taking great care of your new relationship.)

Some advisors have intentional processes that lead to referrals without asking. Too many advisors wing it when it comes to referrals. I'm here to tell you that wishing and hoping is not a plan.

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Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent study indicates that amidst various 'challenges', financial advisor pricing power remains strong, with advisors charging on a retainer or subscription basis seeing particularly large fee increases during the past three years. Nonetheless, the related survey found that advisors are growing increasingly wary of potential competition from AI-powered tools but appear to be responding by building stronger multi-generational ties within client families and increasingly serving those with emerging wealth.

Also in industry news this week:

• A study finds that AI chatbots frequently give incorrect or incomplete answers to questions asked by high-net-worth clients, potentially putting advisors in the position of correcting assumptions of prospects and clients who use these tools
• By using alternative benchmarking assumptions, a study finds that the gap between investor performance in passive and active equity funds narrows significantly (while investments in actively managed fixed-income funds are found to have an advantage over those in their passive counterparts)

From there, we have several articles on tax planning:

• Five ways financial advisors can help their clients avoid tax penalties in the coming year
• How the information contained on 1099-DIV forms can help advisors craft tax planning recommendations that result in hard-dollar savings for their clients
• How the flexibility of tax withholding from retirement account distributions can help clients avoid tax penalties while keeping their money invested for longer and postponing tax withholdings until later in the year

We also have a number of articles on education planning:

• Why one financial planning expert isn't using 529 plans to save for his kids' future education needs, preferring instead to use taxable accounts
• Why 529 plans are more flexible and offer better treatment for financial aid calculations than certain other education saving alternatives
• A comparison of the pros and cons of 529 plans and Roth IRAs for college savings (and why it's likely not an either/or savings decision for many clients)

We wrap up with three final articles, all about travel planning:

• Airplane ticket prices have risen amidst a jump in the price of oil during the past couple months, though continued strong demand, amongst other factors, could mean elevated prices continue even if oil prices decline
• How to get the most out of a trip to the museum, from what to pack to how to avoid "gallery fatigue"
• An examination of AI chatbots' travel-planning capabilities finds that while they can recommend thoughtful itineraries, a human touch might be preferred for more a more bespoke travel experience

Enjoy the 'light' reading!

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Roles in the financial planning profession have always been molded in dialogue with the technology available; with each generation comes the expansion and compression of different opportunities. Today, much of the enthusiasm around artificial intelligence (AI) centers on its ability to automate non-client-facing work, theoretically enabling advisors to spend a greater percentage of their time in meetings. However, this vision quickly faces practical and human limitations.

In this 190th episode of Kitces & Carl, Michael Kitces and client communication expert Carl Richards discuss the tradeoffs between the emotionally intensive work of financial planning and the automative promises of artificial intelligence. For example, one of the promises of AI is that it allows advisors to have more client-facing time… but what is the upper limit of that effect? Increasing client-facing time from roughly 25–30% to significantly higher levels may not be desirable – or even sustainable – for many advisors. Beyond a certain point, more meetings do not equate to better outcomes, as the quality of advice and the advisor’s own well-being can deteriorate. In this context, optimizing for maximum efficiency risks pushing the profession toward an “assembly line” model that is poorly suited to relationship-driven, high-empathy work.

On the other hand, financial advisors have increasingly turned to AI as a potential solution to the industry’s widely discussed “talent shortage”, with the expectation that greater efficiency will allow firms to serve more clients at a lower cost. Yet this framing assumes that the core constraint is advisor capacity, rather than questioning whether the real issue lies in how advisors are trained, developed, and deployed. As firms rush to automate back- and middle-office functions, a deeper tension emerges: the same tools that promise to expand capacity may inadvertently undermine the very human capital pipeline the profession depends on.

At the same time, the push for efficiency raises critical concerns about the long-term development of talent. Entry-level roles – often responsible for the operational and analytical tasks AI seeks to replace – have traditionally served as the training ground for future advisors. Eliminating these positions in pursuit of short-term productivity gains may hollow out firms’ ability to cultivate experienced professionals over time. The result could be a paradox: firms solve for immediate capacity constraints while exacerbating future talent shortages by failing to invest in the next generation. This dynamic is already evident in hiring patterns that heavily favor experienced advisors, despite a lack of willingness to train newcomers internally.

Compounding this challenge is the nature of AI itself, which often performs best when paired with experienced practitioners who can validate and refine its outputs. While AI can generate recommendations or streamline analysis, it is not infallible. Advisors who have developed judgment through hands-on experience are better equipped to identify errors, contextualize advice, and apply nuanced decision-making. If future advisors are trained primarily through AI-assisted workflows without building foundational expertise, their ability to critically evaluate these tools may diminish. Over time, this could lead to a degradation of professional judgment and an increased risk of systemic errors that go unnoticed and compound.

Ultimately, the key issue is not whether AI can improve efficiency – it clearly can – but determining what firms are actually trying to optimize for. If the goal is short-term productivity or preparing a practice for sale, maximizing efficiency may be rational. However, for firms seeking to build enduring businesses, a more balanced approach is required – one that leverages AI to enhance, rather than replace, human development. By using technology to support training, deepen expertise, and expand advisor capabilities (instead of eliminating formative experiences), firms can position themselves to both serve more clients and cultivate the skilled professionals needed for long-term success.

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A major focus in financial planning circles is the "Great Wealth Transfer" expected to unfold over the coming years, as members of the large Baby Boomer generation pass along their wealth to heirs. For financial advisors, this offers an opportunity to support existing clients through estate planning advice, but also creates a risk of losing continuity once clients' assets pass to the next generation – particularly when the advisor has no existing relationship with the heirs.

In this guest post, David Haughton, VP of Estate Planning at Carson Group, explains that although advisors may feel as though they already know a client's family well, that familiarity is often one-directional. From an heir's perspective, being thrust into the challenging situation of losing a loved one – and potentially being named executor or trustee – can make it difficult to build a personal relationship quickly and from scratch with an advisor. Nonetheless, there are several planning topics that naturally create opportunities for advisors to engage with the next generation, not only to build familiarity in advance of a future wealth transition, but also to add value for the existing client by helping heirs prepare for future roles and responsibilities.

For instance, education planning can offer an early touchpoint, as an advisor might bring a 529 plan beneficiary into a conversation to discuss how the account may eventually be used and to show how financial planning translates into real-world outcomes. Charitable planning can also create a meaningful participation opportunity, such as when clients invite children into conversations about giving values and allow them to help direct a portion of charitable donations. Similarly, smaller investment accounts can give advisors a way to discuss concepts such as asset allocation, risk tolerance, and time horizon in a lower-stakes setting, while trust and estate planning conversations can help prepare future fiduciaries for responsibilities they may eventually need to take on.

As those early interactions accumulate, they can create a foundation for deeper family governance conversations. And because clients might feel hesitant about sharing detailed financial information or estate plan specifics, advisors can frame those meetings not as exercises in disclosure, but as opportunities to prepare heirs for future decision-making roles. Which can help clients articulate intentions that might otherwise go unspoken while also increasing their confidence that their plans will be understood and carried out as intended.

Ultimately, the key point is that while estate planning and inheritance conversations can be sensitive, many advisory relationships already contain natural entry points for involving the next generation in meaningful ways. And when those opportunities are used intentionally, they can improve family dialogue, help heirs feel more prepared for future responsibilities, and strengthen both the likelihood of continuity after a wealth transfer and the value of the planning itself for the current client!

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Welcome everyone! Welcome to the 489th episode of the Financial Advisor Success Podcast!

My guest on today's podcast is Sara Grillo, a digital marketing specialist for financial advisors.

What's unique about Sara, though, is how she has identified several (perhaps counterintuitive) ways financial advisors can win more clients, including by talking less about their expertise and reducing 'friction' by asking less of prospects early on in the relationship.

In this episode, we talk in-depth about how Sara finds that financial advisors sometimes fail to connect with prospective clients because they put the focus on their services and capabilities (often using intimidating industry jargon in the process) rather than on what's keeping the prospect up at night, why Sara thinks that common phrases used on advisor websites (for example, serving as a "household CFO" or being a "boutique advisory firm") might confuse rather than attract potential clients, and how Sara finds that advisors can encourage prospects to take the next step (whether it's scheduling an initial appointment or becoming a client) by reducing 'friction' points along the way (for example by offering simple, shorter lead magnets and by limiting the scope of information requests).

We also talk about Sara's approach to content creation for financial advisors and how answering common questions for a firm's ideal target client can be an effective place to start, how Sara finds that if an advisor receives the same question three times in a given week or month that it could be a good candidate for a piece of content, and how Sara is less concerned that writing high-value, targeted pieces of content will cannibalize an advisor's business as prospects could likely access this information already (as many will be amenable to working with an advisor to save them time and hold them accountable on execution).

And be certain to listen to the end, where Sara shares how being more targeted with content not only can attract attention from both search engines and AI platforms but also can increase the chances that it's passed around members of the target community the advisor works with, how Sara's involvement in the advisory industry (including her previous experiences as an advisor) has led her to help found a movement dedicated to greater transparency in the financial advice industry, and how Sara has found that building community (both amongst peers and with target client groups) offers rewards in its own right in addition to the business growth opportunities doing so can provide.

So, whether you're interested in learning about the benefits for advisors of talking less and listening more when meeting with prospects and clients, generating productive content ideas by answering the questions an advisor's ideal target is answering, or the benefits of building an advisor community, then we hope you enjoy this episode of the Financial Advisor Success podcast, with Sara Grillo.

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Marketing for new clients through education has long been a popular approach for financial advisors. Whether it's conducting seminars or speaking at networking events, podcasting or creating educational videos, advisors get an opportunity to demonstrate their expertise, show that they're approachable, and help a broad swath of consumers. As a result, Kitces Research on Advisor Marketing finds that education-based marketing is amongst the most popular marketing tactics that advisors pursue, behind only referrals from clients and centers of influence, and networking (in-person or online). Yet the reality is that nearly half of advisors fail to get a single new client in a full year of trying their education-based marketing approach.

In this guest post, advisor marketing expert Kendra Wright of Rebel Media Agency conducts a detailed "marketing funnel breakdown" of the changes that one financial advisor made to turn his multi-year podcast that had generated virtually no new client results into one that generated more than $100,000 of new revenue in just the past 12 months, and the specific changes that he – and any advisor – can make to whatever their marketing funnel happens to be, in order to drive better business outcomes.

The starting point is to recognize that education-based marketing is really a three-stage "funnel" process, where the actual educational content itself – the seminar or the podcast – is just the middle of the funnel. It's a crucial stage – where advisors demonstrate their competency and build trust – but a great educational podcast unto itself does not create new clients.

Improved results also require paying attention to the top of the funnel, where you earn the attention to attract attendees, viewers, or in the case of a podcast, listeners who will become regular consumers of your content in order to build trust with them. This means getting clarity on who your ideal prospects are (and what kind of content they would be interested in), aligning the title of the podcast and the titles of each episode to that ideal target audience, and then further expanding awareness to others who might be interested (which in the case of a podcast, means appearing as a guest on other podcasts that might have listeners who would cross over).

In addition, advisors also have to pay attention to the bottom of the funnel, where prospects are invited to actually reach out and learn more about how to become a client. Because especially in the age of "finfluencers", it's not automatic for video viewers or podcast listeners to even realize that you are a financial advisor who actually works with and accepts clients! That has to be said – more than once, with a clear statement of what you do (as a financial advisor), who you work with (e.g., retirees nationwide), that you're accepting clients (as they may not realize you have capacity!), and how to take the next action step to reach out and schedule an introductory call.

Ultimately, the key point is that marketing by educating is an incredibly effective way to build trust with prospects, but putting out great educational content alone doesn't drive results. Turning educational content into qualified prospects means paying attention to the top of the funnel to expand your audience, and the bottom of the funnel to help them understand that you're a financial advisor who is accepting new clients, and how they can begin to work with you. The good news, though, is that when it works well, you can quickly reach the point where there are more prospects than you can handle – such that ironically, for the most successful advisor podcasters, their scheduling form is built to introduce more friction to slow down how often prospects reach out (and ensure only the most qualified do so). A nice problem to have!

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Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a study from the American College of Financial Services finds that advisors with advanced expertise in areas such as tax and retirement income planning tend to serve more wealthy clients than those with less advanced skills. Notably, the study also found no relationship between years of experience and expertise level. Which suggests that relatively newer advisors and those looking to stand out for their ideal client type could benefit from sharpening their skills in key areas to offer a deeper level of planning expertise to (potentially wealthier) clients!

Also in industry news this week:

• The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) this week adopted amendments to bring four of its model rules in line with the SEC's marketing rule, a key step towards leveling the playing field for state-registered RIAs with their SEC-registered counterparts when it comes to using testimonials, endorsements, and specific performance reporting in their marketing
• A state report indicates that dozens of RIAs, amongst more than a hundred financial services firms in total, have experienced data breaches during the first four months of the year, as advancing artificial intelligence capabilities put a further spotlight on the importance of cyber hygiene for advisory firms, including their staff and clients

From there, we have several articles on tax planning:

• A four-step framework for financial advisors to effectively manage client equity compensation
• How advisors can offer significant hard-dollar tax savings for clients by creating an effective Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) sale strategy
• Why leveraging Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) rules isn't always a sure bet and how advisors can offer value for clients by conducting a more personalized analysis

We also have a number of articles on advisor marketing:

• Five ways advisors can help clients make more effective introductions (and drive more good-fit referrals in the process)
• How advisors can reduce any awkwardness around referral conversations and avoid turning clients into (unintentional) salespeople
• Why leaning into value and personalization can help advisors drive referrals from clients in the first few months of the relationship

We wrap up with three final articles, all about greed:

• Why greed can be "good, bad, or ugly" depending on how it's applied and why generosity could be an antidote to some of greed's negative side effects
• The benefits of resisting "lifestyle creep" driven by status-driven purchases
• Why those who have already 'won' the financial game can sometimes be lured into making bets that come with attractive upside but significant downside potential that could threaten their financial security

Enjoy the 'light' reading!

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When it comes to learning about a client, some topics can be easier for financial advisors to raise than others. For instance, while a client might be willing to open up about how they plan to spend their time in retirement, they might be more reluctant to answer questions about their health or legacy. Which can create a challenge for advisors, who may need to understand these issues to build a plan that truly reflects the client's values and circumstances.

In this guest post, Meghaan Lurtz, a leading expert on the psychology of financial planning and Professor of Practice at Kansas State University, explains why sensitive conversations matter in financial planning, how trauma-informed interviewing techniques can help advisors approach these discussions, and how advisors can use three practical tools to navigate these 'hard questions'.

When a client tenses up or talks around a sensitive question – such as, "Do you have any health concerns I should know about?" – an advisor might assume the topic is out of bounds and avoid it in the future. However, research suggests that when someone is reluctant to discuss a particular topic, it's often because they expect the conversation to be more uncomfortable than it is likely to be in reality.

With this in mind, advisors can draw on trauma-informed interviewing techniques –even when a client hasn't experienced trauma themselves – to facilitate these discussions more effectively. Key practices include being mindful of the order and pacing of questions asked (e.g., not going directly to the hardest questions), preparing for the conversation beforehand, and asking open-ended questions where possible.

One related tool for navigating hard questions is to use a "side door" approach. By starting more gently with a potentially thorny topic, advisors can ease clients into the conversation. For example, instead of asking, "How much do you want to save for your children's college education?" an advisor might ask, "When you imagine your child getting their acceptance letter, what do you picture happening next?" This can help get the client talking while surfacing unspoken assumptions about the topic. Advisors can also ask clients for permission before broaching a potentially sensitive subject, which can give clients a greater sense of control over how the conversation unfolds. (And, paradoxically, clients who are given permission to say no are far more likely to say yes!) A third approach is to sequence questions, starting with low-pressure context to understand the client's story, moving to the emotions or deeper meaning behind the topic, and only then arriving at practical decisions.

Ultimately, the key point is that advisors don't need to avoid sensitive questions in financial planning. Rather, by preparing clients, pacing conversations, asking permission, and sequencing questions from story to meaning to action, advisors can reduce defensiveness and uncover insights that lead to better plans!

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