Having a Plan Isn't the Same As Being Prepared
Make sure your clients and their families are ready.
Even Well-Structured Plans Break Down
Many clients have estate documents in place. But when something happens, families often don't know:
- What assets exist
- Where they are held
- How to access them
- Who to call for support
As one estate attorney put it:
"We're often trying to piece everything together after the fact."
This leads to delays, stress, and unnecessary cost for your clients - at the worst possible time.
Research Confirms the Gap
We conducted research with 206 families about their estate readiness. The findings were stark.
Only 8.7% of families are confident that their successor will have the information necessary to execute their plans.
Even more concerning:
71% scored below 50% on estate readiness; essentially a failing grade from the majority of families.
The research revealed critical gaps:
- 64% haven't documented their financial accounts for their successor
- 65% don't have login details and passwords stored
The insight was clear:
Most families confuse having a plan with being ready to execute it.
This gap isn't theoretical. It's measured and real, and it affects 91% of families. You can help to ensure that your clients have a better outcome.
Estate planning defines what should happen.
Execution depends on whether someone has the right information to actually follow the plan.
How Advisors Use Guidepost
1. Self-Check
Have clients complete a brief readiness assessment before meetings.
2. Identify Gaps
Identify missing accounts, unclear access, and execution risks before they become problems.
3. Clear Structure
Give clients a clear structure to organize and share critical information.
What Advisors Are Noticing
Guidepost is helping advisors deepen their client relationships and bring more clarity.
• Surfaces gaps in continuity planning that are not visible in traditional estate documents
• Helps clients and families understand what is actually needed during settlement
• Creates a clear path for coordination across advisors
“Executors are almost never prepared. We've often trying to locate assets before we can even begin the settlement process.”
— Estate Planning Attorney
Using Guidepost in Client Conversations
Situation:
An advisor is meeting with a client with a well-structured financial and estate plan. The advisor asks the client to complete the Guidepost readiness assessment [online tool, 2-minutes to complete].
What Surfaces:
- The client's spouse doesn’t know where key accounts are held.
- Access to institutions and online platforms is unclear.
- The executor hasn't seen critical documents.
Outcome:
The advisor now can recommend that the client organize and document critical information. Guidepost becomes the structure. The advisor and the client have a clear, actionable path forward.
Another Common Moment
After a major life event — such as the loss of a spouse — an advisor is supporting a client’s family as they step into an existing estate plan.
Without Guidepost, despite having legal estate documents in place, the family is unsure:
- Where to start
- What institutions, accounts, and policies exist
- Who is responsible for what
This creates confusion, delays, added stress, and can weaken the client relationship with the advisor at a critical moment.
With Guidepost, the advisor has a clear structure the family can follow — helping them understand what to do, in what order, and how to move forward with confidence.
The family has clarity and support — reinforcing trust in the advisor and strengthening the likelihood the relationship continues.
Guidepost Supports Advisors
- Reduce friction during estate settlement
- Improve client experience across generations
- Ensure planning work is carried out as intended
Advisor Feedback
"Guidepost gives the kind of clarity we wish every client had before a crisis. This should be a mandatory part of the client onboarding process."
- Estate Planning Attorney (15+ years with large firm)
"Guidepost fills a gap that almost every family has, but very few recognize ahead of time."
- Wealth Management Advisor (8 years with small firm)
"Every family with assets should have something like this to ensure that they have an accurate picture of their financial life."
- CPA (small business owner, 5+ years)