With over 75% of Australians not having an up to date Will or Estate Plan, it’s pretty easy to guess your clients need your help, and your guidance to progress with their stalled Estate Planning journey.
Let’s face it, it’s not the most exciting or inspiring thing to do, and we all tend to prioritise those things we love to do, above those we don’t love to do.
The Estate Planning process also requires us to make some pretty tough decisions. Other life priorities tend to get in the way of paying attention to this very important activity.
Here are some tips to help you follow through with your clients Estate Plan journey and finalise their intentions.
Tip 1
Show Empathy
Most people struggle with completing their Estate Plans. They may think that it is harder than it might be and keep putting it in the “too hard basket”.Keep reminding them of the importance of this activity and how good they will feel once everything has been done. None of us get any younger, and the world and your life are always a BIG UNKNOWN factor. No one can take the risk of leaving this unattended.
If they have not acted on your Estate Planning advice every year for the last 3 years or more, then it’s to talk to try empathy and work through how you can help them.
Tip 2
Be the facilitator
You can start re-engaging them in the process by scheduling a meeting with your clients and taking them through the process again.
Most people won’t act on something if they have to make the first move. But if you schedule a meeting, your clients will turn up, they trust you and they trust that you will take on the project management side of facilitating their Estate Plan.
Tip 3
Provide them with a checklist
Ever heard of the Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande? If not it’s a MUST READ, especially for business owners.
Checklists provide detail for every step in a process allowing you to keep things organised and on track. They are simple to use and very effective to ensure all the steps are completed in the right order. Plus people just love ticking those boxes off. It provides a dopamine hit, that we all need in lockdown.
Tip 4
The KISS principle – Keeping it simple
Estate Planning can be broken down into 3 basics steps. It is just a matter of going through each step with your clients. They are not scary and do not take much time. They might require a difficult conversation but most likely not.
Estate Planning follows a prescribed route with legal documents and typically require:
- Wills
- Powers of Attorney
- Advance Health Directives / Living Wills
All you need to do with your client is to:
- Start the journey
- Answer some questions
- Provide some information
From there it can happen very quickly, with the LGen Estate Planning system and back-office support within four weeks.
Tip 5
Don’t leave their future to chance under your watch
When you outline to your client, without an Estate Plan, they are leaving behind their intentions and wealth to chance distribution and what the Government thinks is the right way to distribute it, they may see a sense of urgency.
Good luck with your discussions.
We hope this has helped.
Email info@LGen.email or click here
if you would like a copy of our Client Topic Sheet on
The top SEVEN things to consider before making your Will.
