It’s Time Advisors Help Clients Protect More Than Their Wealth
In today’s high-net-worth households, conversations around legacy have typically centred on financial continuity — wills, succession planning, and tax optimization. But increasingly, families and their advisors are realizing that financial capital alone isn’t enough to preserve what matters most.
Emotional wealth — the values, stories, and relationships that define a family — deserves a seat at the table.
I recently launched Words for Dad, a Father’s Day keepsake created from messages, stories, and voice recordings collected from the people who know him best. It’s a simple but deeply meaningful way for families to capture the words and sentiments that fathers carry with them forever.
What struck me most is how this kind of offering aligns with the broader mission family offices are pursuing: fostering connection, cohesion, and shared meaning across generations. Financial wealth without emotional continuity leaves a gap that money can’t fill. And advisors are uniquely positioned to encourage clients to tend to both.
Here’s why this matters:
Family unity is often cited as one of the greatest risks to sustaining wealth beyond the third generation. Open, ongoing conversations and traditions of storytelling can help bridge that.
Legacy isn’t only about assets; it’s about influence. How did a family come to be who they are? What values carried them through difficult times? What wisdom do they hope to pass down? Those are the questions that shape generational resilience.
Personalized, value-driven gestures — like recording family messages or preserving stories — create tangible expressions of emotional wealth. These aren’t “nice to haves.” They’re the connective tissue families need to stay close and aligned, even when wealth management decisions grow complex.
Practical ways families can nurture emotional wealth together:
Host annual family legacy dinners where each member shares a story or lesson that shaped them.
Create simple keepsakes like Words for Dad or Legacy Letters to capture meaningful sentiments around milestones.
Establish family values statements or rituals that can be passed down alongside financial assets.
Encourage intergenerational storytelling sessions — grandparents with grandchildren, siblings with one another — to ensure values and experiences aren’t lost in silence.
For advisors, there’s an opportunity here:
Include emotional legacy tools in your conversations. Recommend options like Words for Dad, family story compilations, or annual value-sharing rituals. Help your clients preserve their family narrative with the same care they preserve their financial portfolios.
Because what endures isn’t just what we leave in bank accounts — it’s what we leave in hearts.
If you’d like to learn more about Words for Dad or explore how it could support your clients’ family conversations, I’d love to connect.