Laura Deignan · 19 Sep 2024 · 2 minutes

ADVISOR TRAINING

Embracing Innovation in Financial Planning

Author: Laura Deignan Laura Deignan
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As we approach a pivotal election, financial advisors must remain vigilant about the legislative risks that could impact clients’ portfolios. So, Stonewood Financial launched our Legislative Risk Awareness Month to highlight the importance of helping clients address potential tax changes, regulatory shifts, and their effects on retirement accounts. Advisors can build trust by engaging clients in meaningful conversations about how these risks may influence their financial future.

At our Innovate Summit training conference this week, the conversation expanded beyond legislation to innovative strategies, like automated marketing and lead generation ideas, and new ways to position annuities and life insurance as holistic retirement tools. Advisors who embrace these methods while staying aware of legislative threats will be better equipped to guide clients through the uncertainties of 2024 and beyond. (And I mean beyond—the effects of the upcoming election will be felt for many, many years.) 


One of the key takeaways from both Legislative Risk Awareness Month and our Innovate Summit is the importance of preparation. By identifying potential legislative threats early, advisors can adapt and safeguard their clients’ investments. Preparing for potential tax changes or regulatory shifts ensures that portfolios remain resilient, even when external forces seem unpredictable. 

image (1)If you’d like to hear the top risks our CEO Becky Swansburg sees coming out of this election—and how to help your client prepare—check out this recent webinar we hosted: The 2024 Election & Your Clients.

When communicating tax and legislative risk to your clients, the rise of digital solutions and automation in financial planning gives advisors an additional advantage. The use of social media and automated webinars, as discussed at the Innovate Summit, allows advisors to educate their clients efficiently while maintaining personalized service. These tools enhance advisor-client relationships, making it easier to manage legislative risks while providing forward-thinking financial strategies.

Ultimately, legislative awareness and innovation aren’t just two separate parts of a financial advisor’s role; they are deeply interconnected. Advisors who stay ahead of the curve on both fronts can deliver comprehensive, future-proof plans that provide protection for their clients in an ever-changing financial (and political) landscape.


We would like to thank the over 100 advisors who attended our Innovate Summit this week and the 600 offices we work with who are prioritizing legislative risk with their clients and prospects. Special shoutout to our amazing sponsors: RA Marketing, NAIFA, Trained Advisor, Leadjig +Acquire + White Glove, Integrated Trust, and MBI

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Miss our latest Innovate Summit training conference? Registration will open soon for our next training in early 2025. Click here to preregister!

Real Advisors. Real Results.

See how advisors are using Stonewood software to win larger cases and deliver better outcomes for their clients.

An advisor was working with a prospect who was a real "do-it-yourselfer" when it came to Roth conversions. The client was converting assets up their existing tax bracket – and hadn't considered any impact to IRMAA.

With Roth Done Right, the advisor was able to show an alternate pattern that sped up the conversion to 6 years. The new structure offered $30,000 savings in conversion taxes – a 20% reduction on the prospect's conversion tax bill. The report also showed hundreds of thousands of dollars in long-term tax and IRMAA savings from the converted assets – an amount the prospect hadn't been able to quantify on his own.

Outcome

A new client with $1M in new AUM, and a $1M FIA sale to fund the conversion process.

An advisor was working with a prospect who already had assets with Ken Fisher. Fisher's team presented a 5% systematic withdrawal projection, so the advisor needed a stronger way to frame the income conversation.

Using the Annuity Alpha report, the advisor showed how an annuity could deliver over 8% in annual cash flow with lifetime income, plus a long-term care doubler. The contrast was clear enough that the prospect moved forward.

Outcome

$1.5M placed and a $100K in new business revenue.

An advisor was working with a 58-year-old couple with an established, well-funded retirement income plan, leaving an additional $3M IRA to build out a legacy for the kids. The couple's existing advisor had no real additional plan for this money, other than to keep it in their managed account and grow that money as much as possible for the kids.

Using the Legacy Done Right report, the advisor showed the need for tax planning on this $3M IRA. According to the advisor, the simple analysis "opened up the wallet" to the Roth conversion story. The advisor then used the blended Roth/Life feature in the report to show a blend of Roth Conversion assets with some Life Insurance to help maximize the client’s legacy.

Outcome

$3M in motion. The advisor picked up a $1.5M FIA sale that will be converted to Roth. And the advisor also sold a 5-Pay Protection focused IUL policy at $225,000 of premium per year.

An advisor group incorporated the Total Tax Burden report into the strategy presentation for all new prospects. They ran the tax snapshot for every new client as part of their first meeting conversation, quantifying the growing tax burden of IRA money – and illustrating the kinds of tax savings possible when working with their firm.

Starting in January of 2023, this simple analysis was presented to every single prospect who walked in the door. The goal was to differentiate their practice and drive overall revenue growth through various Roth conversion strategies.

Outcome

From 2022 to 2025, new annual AUM rose from $5M to $50M. Annual FIA sales rose from $3M to $35M. And annual life premium rose from $50K to $1M.