Estate Planning as Growth Play
Advisors are folding estate planning into core service sets to capture trillions in generational wealth transfer—estate docs and legacy conversations are now a revenue and retention differentiator, not just compliance. The tactic deepens relationships without overhauling the practice. (x.com)
Cerulli projects roughly $124 trillion will transfer between generations by 2048 — about $105 trillion to heirs and $18 trillion to charity, with roughly 81% coming from Baby Boomers and older generations. (cerulli.com) Most RIAs still outsource estate work: a WealthManagement.com RIA Edge survey found the majority refer to external counsel and only about 5% plan to bring estate-planning services fully in‑house by 2026. (wealthmanagement.com) Digital providers report uptake: Trust & Will’s advisor research shows 61% of advisors offering digital estate planning use it as a firm differentiator rather than solely a compliance tool. (trustandwill.com) Client demand outpaces supply — CEG Insights (formerly Spectrem) found 93% of investors expect their advisor to help with estate planning and 62% prefer a single provider for all financial planning needs. (hooks.advisorperspectives.com) Advisors are converting estate work into revenue: Wealth.com outlines monetization paths like packaged planning fees and referral models aimed at retaining AUM, while Estately says reviewing clients’ estate documents often reveals unmanaged accounts and heir relationships that produce new business. (wealth.com) Vendors and custodial guidance back integration — Trust & Will markets an advisor platform serving over 1 million families and white‑glove support, and Envestnet’s 2025 trends guidance urges RIAs to expand services to include estate and succession planning. (trustandwill.com)
