As a financial adviser, you know that some conversations are more difficult than others. For many clients, planning for later life stirs deep fears of losing control, declining health, or becoming a burden to their families. Some clients may resist or even shut down at the first mention of the topic.
However, delaying these conversations means they miss the chance to shape their future on their own terms. You are in a powerful position to open the door to more thoughtful, proactive planning before stress takes hold and their options begin to narrow.
Your Objective
The goal is not to map out their entire future in one meeting. The most valuable work you can do is to create space for reflection and return to the conversation over time.
Practical Ways to Begin
Here are three gentle techniques to introduce the topic and make it feel like a normal part of planning.
- Use Real-World Prompts: Connect the conversation to something neutral and external. For example: "I read an article recently about the rise in falls among older adults. Does the thought of needing more support at home ever cross your mind?".
- Ask Gentle 'What-If' Questions: Frame the discussion around future possibilities, not immediate problems. For instance: "If you ever needed more help around the house in the future, do you think you would prefer to bring someone in or consider moving?".
- Frame Planning as Empowerment: Shift the focus from loss to control. Clients are often far more receptive when the conversation is about staying independent for longer, not about giving things up.
Even small insights, such as a client's desire to remain at home, can inform smarter and more strategic financial decisions.
When you position care planning as a strength rather than a surrender, you help your clients protect what matters most: their dignity, their independence, and their family's wellbeing.
