Succession & Continuity Planning

Baby Boomer advisors retiring in the next 10 years will reduce the number of advisors in the industry by 1/3.  These are staggering numbers, and the landscape of financial planners will evolve over this time.

It is important to plan for an orderly succession of your business so you may look forward to your golden years when you can spend more time with family, enjoy  your hobbies, or continue business as long as you can in a reduced capacity or different role.

You may be one of the most valuable assets you own.  Advisor Group is constantly looking for qualified buyers who are able to continue your legacy and care for your clients as you have.  We can help you identify a buyer, assist with valuation and deal structuring, and provide transition assistance for you an your clients.

A continuity plan is important to have in place. Why?  

• Do you plan to retire in the near future?
• Do you have enough life insurance or other assets to care for your family?
• Can you predict the future?

The answers for most advisors is "no".  

These are the reasons to put a continuity plan in place.  If you don't have one, let us explain why you should have one.

A continuity plan is a mechanism by which someone is able to step into your business if an unexpected event occurs.  This could be death, or permanent or temporary disability.  It does not mean you are setting up a succession plan.

A continuity plan is a safety net used in the event of a tragedy or unexpected event.  It can also be put into place more strategically if you have current health problems, are considering a medical procedure, or are traveling.

Because this kind of event can happen quickly it's important to have a plan and communicate it to others.

Continuity planning solves for something different than life insurance.  Life insurance is a funding vehicle that can replace your income if you pass.  It provides your family with piece of mind that if  you are no longer here, they will still be able to have a warm place to sleep, and three meals a day.  

The focus of continuity planning is to take care of your clients and your staff in the event you are no longer with us.  A byproduct of a continuity plan is that it can also supplement the revenue stream to your family.

There are many different vehicles to deploy in handling your specific situation.  There are also many different strategies within those vehicles to dial in the right plan.  

Each person and business is unique and needs a plan and structure for its unique qualities, attributes, and characteristics.  Not only should you have a succession plan that contemplates the unique qualities of your business, you should also have a continuity plan that does the same.

For many of us, our business is our largest asset.  It may be worth more than your house, your retirement savings, or any other assets that you have.  It's important to plan and build that asset over time.

It is important to protect the asset in the event of the unforeseen.  It's also important to make sure that, if something were to happen to you, your clients, and staff have an orderly transition and are not left out in the cold.