Overview
Clients are expecting their advisors to be looking out after their finances 24x7. These ideas allow the planner to initiate proactive, timely, value-driven check-ins using Asset-Map and Target-Maps. Download the 5 Conversations Guide by clicking the link here or at the bottom of the article. These ideas are presented for educational purposes only and do not reflect any financial recommendations.
"What's wrong with this picture?"
The Strategy: Update a client’s Asset-Map and Target-Map with newly placed financial instruments, tax updates, or known balance sheet changes. Send a tear-sheet or share it on screen to audit missing or unaddressed items.
The Framing Analogy: Think of an Asset-Map like an home inspection report. You don't ignore the floorboard creak or the leaky window; you point it out so the homeowner can decide whether to fix it.
What to Say to the Client:
"I was reviewing your Asset-Map recently and updated it with your latest holdings. Take a look at this single-page view with me[cite: 1, 3]. Before we dive into strategy, I want to ask: What’s wrong with this picture? What are we missing, or what on here needs our attention today to make sure your financial treasure map is accurate?"
How to Drive Action in Asset-Map:
Use Stencils or Placeholders to reveal missing gaps (e.g., unassigned beneficiaries or missing long-term care).
Highlight unassigned or idle assets to discuss intentionality and exit planning.
"This may be an issue for your family..."
The Strategy: Run automated Signals or speed-planning scenarios to identify structural exposures if a calamity—such as premature death or disability—occurs.
The Framing Analogy: Like running a fire drill before an emergency happens, calamity planning ensures the family isn't left guessing during a crisis.
What to Say to the Client:
"I was looking over your Asset-Map recently and noticed a potential exposure I wanted to bring directly to your attention. My team ran a quick calamity analysis, and if John pre-deceases Barbara, there’s a significant income and protection gap. Take a look at this attached Target-Map—let's talk about how we can protect Barbara and secure the family’s foundation."
How to Drive Action in Asset-Map:
Model a Loss of Life Target-Map or examine the relevant Signals.
Bring the under-engaged spouse or partner into the conversation to ensure full transparency.
"Are you self-funding Long Term Care?"
The Strategy: Challenge the assumption that a household can easily absorb a major long-term care event without disrupting their core capital or legacy plans.
The Framing Analogy: Choosing to self-fund long-term care without excess capital is like driving without a spare tire—it works fine until you hit a flat, at which point it derails the entire journey.
What to Say to the Client:
"Choosing to self-fund a long-term care event only works smoothly when you have absolute certainty of excess capital and a guaranteed growth rate. Otherwise, an extended care event can severely erode the wealth you've built for retirement or legacy. Let's look at this Target-Map showing the cost to self-fund versus transferring that risk."
How to Drive Action in Asset-Map:
Build a Long-Term Care Target-Map modeling 3 to 4 years of regional care costs.
Review permanent life insurance riders or hybrid assets that provide liquidity, death benefit, or care coverage.
"How much certainty do you want in retirement?"
The Strategy: Frame retirement planning around reducing spending anxiety by establishing guaranteed or optionally guaranteed income sources to cover core living expenses.
The Framing Analogy: Your baseline lifestyle shouldn't depend on market weather. Guaranteed income acts as the shock absorbers on your vehicle—smoothing out market volatility so you can enjoy the ride.
What to Say to the Client:
"Anxiety over your ability to spend in retirement usually stems from relying entirely on fluctuating market assets for basic living costs[cite: 1, 4]. We can manage that stress by ensuring your core expenses are covered by guaranteed or optionally guaranteed income sources. What can we do today to ensure we don't set ourselves up for financial stress down the road?"
How to Drive Action in Asset-Map:
Run a 30-Second Speed Target-Map for Retirement Funding.
Demonstrate how guaranteed income sources (Social Security, pensions, annuities) improve overall funding probability and lower required portfolio withdrawal rates.
"Are you set up to manage your tax bracket?"
The Strategy: Educate clients that being in a high tax bracket pre-retirement does not automatically mean they will drop into a low bracket during retirement, especially with RMDs and taxable income sources.
The Framing Analogy: Managing tax buckets in retirement is like managing your speed on a road trip; having multiple lanes (taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free) gives you complete control over your tax bill.
What to Say to the Client:
"Many high earners assume they’ll automatically drop into a lower tax bracket in retirement, but that’s rarely the case once required distributions and income sources kick in. Managing how and where you distribute assets in retirement gives you control over your tax impact. Having tax-free assets to supplement taxable income is smart planning—are you set up to control your tax bracket?"
How to Drive Action in Asset-Map:
Map assets into their distinct tax wrappers (Taxable, Tax-Deferred, Tax-Free) and view the brackets using the Location report.
Use Drafts Mode to illustrate "what-if" scenarios, such as Roth conversions or strategic asset repositioning, without modifying the current balance sheet.