Empower Your Clients with an End-of-Life Financial Plan
As depressing as it may be to think about end-of-life planning, it’s necessary to ensure peace of mind and security for a client, their loved ones, and family members. Financial advisors can help clients through this sensitive planning process to prepare themselves well for end-of-life asset and wealth distribution.
A study led by an assistant professor in the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado revealed that people who plan for their future are less likely to die prematurely. “The results showed people with a shorter financial planning horizon had a higher risk of dying prematurely, even after controlling for factors including age, gender, income, education, health and life expectancy.” Americans in the study who lacked financial plans had a 7% greater mortality risk.
In this article, we will uncover the essential parts of end-of-life planning, how to help clients build a roadmap, and how to use Asset-Map as a tool for providing quality end-of-life financial planning services.
The Financial Implications of End-of-Life
End-of-life financial planning can be an emotional process as clients begin to think about what their loved ones will do without them. If not well planned, end-of-life transitions can raise practical challenges.
Having a well-thought-out end-of-life plan can present many benefits, including:
Reducing stress for loved ones. End-of-life financial planning is ultimately for your loved ones. Reduce stress by planning for the end-of-life transition and making your wants clear. This will prevent arguments among loved ones and ensure they are cared for.
Ensuring financial stability. By planning for end-of-life, clients can prepare for the later years of their retirement to ensure they remain financially stable. Having a long-term plan for income streams and investments can give your clients peace of mind.
Avoiding legal disputes. Another benefit of end-of-life financial planning documents is avoiding legal conflicts between beneficiaries and loved ones. End-of-life planning ensures a client’s designations are clearly stated to prevent ambiguity and legal disputes.
Communicating your wishes. Lastly, clients can clearly communicate their wishes not only for asset and wealth distribution but also for burial or funeral arrangements. This ensures a client’s loved ones need not struggle to know what they would have wanted during this difficult time.
Essential Elements of End-of-Life Planning
End-of-life financial planning is complex but necessary. Financial planners can assist their clients to ensure they feel confident and comfortable with their plans.
Essential elements of a comprehensive end-of-life financial plan include:
Advance Directives
The importance of living wills and healthcare powers of attorney cannot be overstated. These advanced directives ensure clarity on medical treatment preferences, offer decision-making authority, help reduce family conflict, and give a client personal control while living.
Estate Planning
Estate planning, such as asset succession planning, creating a lasting legacy for your client, and considering taxes, is all-important to end-of-life financial planning. CFPs can help their clients take a holistic approach to estate planning to ensure their financial affairs are covered.
A last will and testament is a legal document outlining how clients want their assets distributed after they pass. This includes asset distribution, guardianship for minor children, and naming an executor to manage the estate.
A trust is when a client names a trustee to manage their assets and wealth to benefit their beneficiaries or loved ones. Trusts provide detailed instructions for the trustee to follow and can help protect assets and reduce tax burdens. A living trust is revocable, allows clients to keep control of their assets, and provides plans for asset distribution after their death.
Probate occurs after the client’s death when the will is validated and the estate plans are executed. Probate includes paying off debt and taxes and distributing assets to the named beneficiaries.
Life Insurance
Life insurance policies are important in end-of-life planning. Life insurance benefits include financial protection for dependents, income replacement, debt repayment, funeral and burial costs, and more.
Term life insurance covers a set number of years, and if the policyholder dies within that time period, the policy pays a pre-determined death benefit to beneficiaries. This is an affordable type of life insurance, but it offers no cash value, and coverage expires after the term.
Whole life insurance is permanent insurance that covers a person for their entire life as long as they pay their premium continuously. It has a guaranteed death benefit and a cash value component that grows over time.
Universal life insurance is another permanent option with cash value that earns interest. It offers flexible premiums and death benefits.
Long-Term Care Planning
As clients get older, they will need to plan for long-term medical care options, including home care, assisted living, nursing homes, and memory care in cases of Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Home care can be an expensive form of end-of-life care. It requires in-home caregivers to help with daily activities like bathing, getting dressed, using the bathroom, etc. The national median cost for in-home care is $30 per hour.
Assisted living facilities offer individuals more independence while still providing the care they need. The average monthly cost is $4,500.
Nursing homes are a popular option for long-term care planning but can be financially challenging. The average monthly cost of living in a nursing home in the United States is $9,034.
Memory care is specialized care for those with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia and costs $6,160 on average per month.
Debt and Asset Management
Debt and assets should be professionally handled with the help of a financial advisor. Ensuring the repayment of debts after one’s death is crucial for the financial well-being of your loved ones.
Choosing an executor to manage the estate and pay off debts is essential for end-of-life planning. This trusted person will act in your client’s place once they have passed and make financial decisions for them.
Additionally, your clients may consider a debt reduction plan throughout the rest of their lives to better prepare for their deaths and leave less debt to be covered.
Building a Roadmap for Your Clients' Future
When working with clients on end-of-life financial planning, be sensitive and compassionate. This isn’t an easy task and may stir up many different emotions for your clients. Your role is to guide them through creating a personalized end-of-life financial plan tailored to their specific needs and wishes.
Using Asset-Map can help financial planners organize and visualize financial information to make the process feel less overwhelming to clients. An Asset-Map Report includes categories such as Income, Assets, Liabilities, Insurance, and others to easily get a clear picture of the client’s financial life.
Recent innovations also allow professionals to display the current beneficiary designations to inspire discussion about the intent of distributions. With legal documents slated to be included in the Asset-Map Platform in Q4 2024, expanded conversations can be facilitated about what really matters and whether the current documents support it.
A Checklist for Peace of Mind
To ensure clients' peace of mind, you may recommend creating a comprehensive checklist of information they should gather and keep in a designated place. This keeps important documents organized in the event of their death and makes the end-of-life transition easier for loved ones.
This end-of-life planning checklist should include the following:
Copies of important documents
Birth certificate
Social security card
Marriage license
Deed or trust for home
Vehicle titles and registration
Credit card names and numbers
Tax returns
Bank accounts information
Insurance policy information
Retirement accounts information (IRAs, 401(k)s, etc.)
Contact information
Loved ones
Healthcare providers
Lawyers
Insurance agents
Employers
Financial advisors
Instructions for managing assets and estate
Will
Trust
Power of Attorney (POA)
List of your assets
Details about funeral and burial preferences
Burial vs. cremation
Funeral costs
Where funeral or memorial service should be held
Organ and/or brain donation
Answering Your Clients' Questions
It’s essential to anticipate common questions and concerns clients may have about end-of-life planning, such as the cost of care, the impact on loved ones, and the fear of the unknown. Be compassionate and provide clear and informative answers to help alleviate client anxiety and ensure they feel supported throughout the process.
When answering clients’ questions, think about how you would like your own questions answered if you were in their situation. Share the information you know and help them find the information you don’t know.
Leverage Asset-Map to Assist Clients
While intimidating, end-of-life financial planning is a crucial part of adulthood. Addressing the management of one’s estate and debts is essential to do proactively rather than retroactively. For the best results, use Asset-Map to help streamline end-of-life financial planning and promote the ongoing facilitation of family meetings between multiple generations.
Asset-Map provides a centralized platform for organizing and managing financial information. With detailed visualizations and a user-friendly platform, our software helps you provide clients with the support they need.
When we lose a loved one, most survivors are lost. Let’s ensure your clients have a map and directions in advance to leave a thoughtful legacy.
Sign up for a free Asset-Map demo today!