Advisor Guide: End-of-Year Client Triggers to Watch

As the year comes to a close, advisors know it’s crunch time. Between tax planning, portfolio reviews, and business closeouts, clients are making key decisions that can have lasting legal and financial implications.

This is also one of the best windows of the year to flag estate planning opportunities. A few well-timed conversations in Q4 can help clients avoid costly mistakes, take advantage of planning windows, and start the new year on solid footing.

Here are the top year-end client “triggers” to watch for—the moments when a quick check-in or referral to an estate planning attorney can make all the difference.

1. Real Estate Transactions

Clients who buy, sell, or refinance property often forget to update their trust or title documents. Ensuring new properties are properly titled (or old ones are removed) before year-end prevents gaps that could create probate exposure or tax complications later.

Trigger: Closed on a property this year, transferred ownership, or added a family member to title.

2. Family Changes

Life events—births, marriages, divorces, deaths—can significantly impact a client’s estate plan. Year-end is a natural moment to revisit guardianships, trustees, powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations.

Trigger: Welcomed a new child or grandchild, changed marital status, lost a family member, or had a change in who’s “in the inner circle.”

3. Business & Tax Planning Decisions

Many business owners and high-net-worth clients make strategic moves in Q4—creating entities, transferring interests, or making financial adjustments that have estate planning implications. Coordinating estate planning at the same time ensures these decisions are legally supported, aligned with their goals, and positioned to maximize current opportunities.

Trigger: Year-end business restructuring, financial planning changes, or moves to take advantage of the current legal and tax landscape before potential changes ahead.

4. Document “Dust-Off” Moments

Advisors often see clients reviewing old files as they prepare for taxes or clean out paperwork at year-end. This is the perfect time to ask, “When was the last time you reviewed your estate plan?” Most plans are outdated by the time clients pull them out.

Trigger: Client mentions reviewing old documents, wills, or trusts—or realizes they haven’t looked at them in years.

5. Looming Deadlines and Unused Opportunities

Planning strategies that rely on calendar-year timing must be completed before December 31. Encouraging clients to address these opportunities now can help them avoid a January scramble—or worse, missed opportunities.

Trigger: Clients discussing year-end planning but haven’t finalized updates or strategies yet.

Your Role as a Trusted Advisor

Spotting these triggers doesn’t mean you have to be the estate planner—but it does make you an invaluable partner. By raising the right questions and making timely referrals, you help clients connect the dots between their financial, legal, and personal goals.

Proactive collaboration ensures smoother transitions, fewer surprises, and a more complete plan for your clients—and it strengthens your role as part of their trusted advisory team.

Take Action Before Year-End

Year-end planning isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about helping clients protect what matters most while opportunities still exist. If any of these triggers come up in your conversations, now is the time to encourage clients to review their estate plan and take action before December 31. Connect with our team to coordinate year-end estate planning for your clients.