Adding Value to Client Relationships Through Legacy Planning

By helping clients organise personal, financial, and care information, legacy planning builds deeper relationships. It enables organisations to provide meaningful support that extends beyond immediate services and strengthens long-term trust.

Imagine this: A seasoned financial advisor reflects on many years of working with clients only to realise that despite meticulously crafted financial strategies, vital legacy documents are often missing or disjointed. This gap not only risks the client’s wishes being misunderstood but also weakens the advisory relationship itself. This blog dives into how legacy planning support, especially with tools like Evaheld, can transform the client experience by adding a human, proactive layer to traditional services.

Uncovering the Common Estate Planning Gap

Despite the best efforts of financial planners, accountants, and legal professionals, a significant gap persists in the way estate planning is approached across Australia. Many clients, even those who are diligent about their financial and legal affairs, have estate plans that are either incomplete, fragmented, or entirely absent. This disconnect not only undermines the strategic work of advisers but also leaves clients’ personal wishes at risk of being unfulfilled.

Disjointed Estate Plans: A Hidden Threat to Strategic Advice

One of the most common issues encountered by professional service firms is the lack of comprehensive or cohesive estate planning documents among clients. While clients may have a will or a power of attorney in place, these documents are often outdated, stored in disparate locations, or fail to address the full spectrum of their personal and financial circumstances. This fragmentation can render even the most carefully crafted financial or legal strategies ineffective when it matters most.

  • Outdated wills that do not reflect current family structures or asset holdings
  • Missing enduring powers of attorney or advance care directives
  • Important documents stored in unsecured or inaccessible places
  • Lack of clarity around digital assets, business succession, or philanthropic intentions

These gaps are not just administrative oversights—they represent real risks to both client outcomes and the reputation of the adviser. When critical documents are missing or misaligned, the client’s legacy can be left in limbo, and the adviser’s strategic recommendations may ultimately fail to deliver their intended value.

Real-World Scenarios: The Cost of Incomplete Legacy Planning

Consider the client who has a robust investment portfolio and a carefully structured trust, but whose will has not been updated since a divorce. Or the business owner who has not documented their wishes for succession, leaving family members and partners uncertain in the event of incapacity or death. In these scenarios, the absence of a centralised, secure storage solution for estate planning documents can lead to confusion, conflict, and costly legal disputes.

Research consistently shows that legacy planning is an often overlooked client need. Clients may not prioritise or fully understand the importance of maintaining up-to-date, accessible documentation. As a result, the holistic advisory approach that professionals strive to deliver is compromised, and the client’s broader goals may be left unfulfilled.

Why Traditional Services Overlook the “Human Layer”

Traditional client service models tend to focus on the technical aspects of financial and legal planning, sometimes at the expense of the personal, human elements that truly define a legacy. This oversight can be attributed to:

  • Time constraints during client meetings
  • Lack of integrated estate planning software to streamline the process
  • Assumptions that another adviser is handling the legacy planning aspect
  • Client reluctance to discuss sensitive personal matters

Without a dedicated solution, these gaps persist, placing both the client’s wishes and the adviser’s professional reputation at risk.

Bridging the Gap with Evaheld’s Legacy Planning Support

This is where Evaheld provides a transformative solution. As a professional-grade estate planning software, Evaheld enables advisers to confidently refer clients to an intuitive, secure B2C app for legacy planning and secure storage of critical documents. The partner dashboard gives firms visibility (with client permission) into which clients have engaged, allowing for timely, proactive follow-up and deeper, more holistic conversations. By integrating this “human layer” into their service offering, professional firms can ensure that client wishes are fully aligned with their financial and legal strategies, safeguarding both legacies and reputations.

Plan ahead with confidence — create your free Advance Care Plan in the Evaheld Legacy Vault to record your healthcare wishes, appoint decision-makers, and give your loved ones clarity, comfort, and peace of mind.

Legacy Planning as the Human Layer in Client Strategy

For principals, partners, and senior advisors in Australia’s financial, accounting, and legal sectors, the challenge of delivering truly holistic client service is ever-present. While technical expertise in structuring assets, minimising tax, and drafting legal documents is essential, there remains a common gap: many clients have fragmented estate plans, missing advance care directives, or lack critical documentation altogether. This gap can undermine even the most carefully crafted strategies, leaving both client wishes and professional reputations exposed.

Legacy Planning: Bridging Personal Wishes and Professional Advice

Legacy planning support represents the “human layer” in client strategy—a bridge that aligns a client’s deeply personal values and wishes with their financial and legal frameworks. By integrating legacy planning into the client journey, firms can ensure that every aspect of a client’s life, from asset distribution to care preferences, is respected and documented. This approach transforms the relationship from one that is purely transactional to one that is truly advisory and empathetic.

Adding Emotional and Relational Depth to Client Engagement

Legacy planning is more than just a checklist of documents; it is an opportunity to engage clients in meaningful conversations about what matters most to them. Discussing advance care plans, digital vaults for important documents, and the stories behind family heirlooms invites clients to reflect on their values, beliefs, and hopes for future generations. This emotionally grounded approach not only deepens trust but also positions the advisor as a long-term partner in the client’s life journey.

  • Advance Care Directives: Including advance care directives as part of legacy planning ensures that clients’ healthcare and end-of-life wishes are clearly documented and respected, reducing stress for families during critical times.
  • Family Heirloom Documentation: Recording the history and significance of family heirlooms taps into intergenerational storytelling, ensuring sentimental assets are passed on with context and intention.
  • Digital Vault Integration: Secure digital vaults centralise vital documents, making it easier for clients and their families to access wills, powers of attorney, and insurance policies when needed.

By weaving these elements into the client strategy, professionals can deliver a service that goes beyond numbers—one that protects both the client’s legacy and the firm’s reputation for comprehensive care.

Why Clients Value a Focus on Personal Legacy

Clients increasingly seek advisors who recognise their humanity, not just their balance sheets. They appreciate when firms take the time to understand their stories, values, and aspirations for loved ones. Legacy planning demonstrates a commitment to the client’s whole life, not just their financial assets, fostering loyalty and deepening relationship capital.

Evaheld: Facilitating the Human, Empathetic Service Layer

Evaheld stands out as the ultimate professional-grade tool for legacy planning support. Advisors can confidently refer clients to Evaheld’s intuitive B2C app, knowing it offers a secure, comprehensive platform for:

  • Photo and story archiving for family heirlooms
  • Centralised digital vaults for critical documents
  • Advance care plan and emergency access integration

With Evaheld’s partner dashboard, firms gain visibility (with client permission) into which clients have engaged with legacy planning, enabling timely follow-up and proactive support. This not only enhances the client experience but also reinforces the firm’s role as a trusted, empathetic advisor—ensuring that every client’s legacy is protected, respected, and aligned with their broader strategy.

Transforming Client Conversations with Holistic Estate Planning Tools

For many professional service firms, the estate planning process is often fragmented. Clients may have incomplete documents or disjointed plans, which can undermine even the most sophisticated financial or legal strategies. By introducing legacy planning as a core service—supported by advanced estate planning software like the Evaheld app—firms can bridge this gap and deliver a more comprehensive, human-centred client experience.

Moving Beyond Transactional Checklists

Traditional estate planning conversations often revolve around ticking boxes—wills, powers of attorney, and asset lists. While necessary, this approach can feel transactional and impersonal. In contrast, holistic legacy planning tools enable advisors to explore the deeper context behind a client’s wishes. This shift transforms the conversation from a compliance exercise into a meaningful dialogue about values, family, and the legacy a client hopes to leave.

Enabling Deeper, Advisory-Quality Conversations

Legacy planning support acts as the “human layer” in estate planning. It ensures that a client’s personal aspirations are aligned with their financial and legal structures. Tools like the Evaheld app facilitate these richer discussions by prompting clients to articulate their wishes, record messages for loved ones, and organise critical documents in one secure place. This process not only uncovers important details that might otherwise be missed, but also positions the advisor as a trusted guide—someone who understands the client’s life in full context.

Real-Time Insights with Evaheld’s Partner Dashboard

One of the standout features of the Evaheld estate planning software is its partner dashboard. With client permission, advisors can view engagement metrics in real time—seeing which clients have started, progressed, or completed their legacy plans. This visibility allows firms to:

  • Identify clients who need follow-up or additional support
  • Schedule timely, relevant conversations based on actual client activity
  • Proactively address gaps before they become risks

This data-driven approach ensures that no client is left behind, while also giving firms a clear view of the value they are delivering.

Story: Uncovering Key Client Wishes Through Legacy Planning

Consider the experience of a senior advisor at a leading Australian firm. Using the Evaheld app, the advisor invited a long-standing client to document their legacy wishes. Through the process, the client revealed a desire to leave a charitable bequest and record a personal message for each grandchild—details that had never surfaced in previous meetings. By facilitating this conversation, the advisor not only strengthened the client relationship but also ensured the estate plan truly reflected the client’s values and intentions.

Building Retention and Trust Through Comprehensive Legacy Planning

Research shows that client retention improves with deeper engagement around legacies. When clients feel their personal stories and wishes are understood and protected, trust in the advisory relationship grows. Firms that offer holistic legacy planning support are seen as proactive, caring, and forward-thinking—qualities that enhance reputation and foster long-term loyalty.

Lessons from Adopting Advanced Planning Technology

Firms that embrace tools like the Evaheld app gain more than just operational efficiency. They unlock the ability to:

  • Deliver a truly client-centric service
  • Monitor and respond to client needs in real time
  • Differentiate their offering in a competitive market

By leveraging estate planning software with robust legacy planning features, professional service firms can move beyond transactional checklists and become indispensable partners in their clients’ lives.

Protecting Legacies and Professional Reputations Proactively

Legacy Planning: A Preventive Measure Safeguarding Client Wishes and Memories

In the landscape of professional services, legacy planning is emerging as a critical, preventive measure that goes beyond mere compliance or documentation. Many clients, even those with sophisticated financial and legal arrangements, have disjointed estate plans or lack essential documents. This gap can undermine the strategic work of advisors and leave client wishes unfulfilled. By integrating legacy planning support, firms ensure that every client’s personal values, stories, and intentions are captured and aligned with their financial and legal strategies. This “human layer” of service not only protects client memories but also provides a sense of continuity and meaning for future generations.

Enhancing Professional Standing Through Proactive Advisory Services

Proactivity in legacy planning is a hallmark of exceptional client care. When advisors initiate conversations about legacy and secure storage of critical documents, they demonstrate foresight and genuine concern for the client’s broader wellbeing. This approach transforms the client relationship from transactional to truly advisory, positioning the firm as a trusted partner in all aspects of a client’s life. Firms that offer legacy planning support—especially through a premium plan—are seen as innovators, setting themselves apart in a competitive market and strengthening their professional reputation.

Risks of Neglecting Legacy Planning: Client Dissatisfaction and Missed Opportunities

Neglecting legacy planning can have significant consequences. Clients may feel unsupported if their personal wishes are not addressed, leading to dissatisfaction and potential attrition. Furthermore, without secure storage and clear documentation, families can face confusion, conflict, and legal complications during critical moments. For the firm, these gaps represent missed opportunities to deepen engagement and deliver holistic value. In today’s environment, clients expect more than transactional advice—they seek advisors who anticipate needs and protect their interests proactively.

Evaheld: Secure Storage and Robust Security Features

Evaheld stands out as the ultimate professional-grade tool for legacy planning support. Its secure cloud storage, encrypted vaults, and emergency QR access cards provide clients with peace of mind that their sensitive information is protected. The platform’s intuitive B2C app ensures clients can easily upload, organise, and share documents, while the partner dashboard gives firms visibility into client engagement (with permission). This enables timely follow-up and ongoing advisory conversations, all within a secure and compliant framework. By offering Evaheld’s premium plan, firms can confidently assure clients that their legacy is preserved with industry-leading security.

Case Study: Reputation Growth Through Evaheld Integration

Consider the example of a mid-sized accounting and advisory firm in Melbourne. After integrating Evaheld into their service offering, they saw a marked increase in client satisfaction and referrals. Clients appreciated the seamless process for storing wills, letters of wishes, and personal messages, and the firm’s advisors found it easier to initiate meaningful conversations about legacy. Over 18 months, the firm’s reputation for holistic, proactive care grew, attracting new high-net-worth clients and strengthening existing relationships. Their experience highlights how secure, trusted tools like Evaheld can drive both client confidence and firm growth.

Emotional Payoff: Client Reassurance and Retention

The emotional reassurance that comes from securing one’s legacy is a powerful retention factor. Clients who know their wishes, memories, and important documents are safely stored experience peace of mind and a deeper sense of trust in their advisors. This emotional connection fosters loyalty and long-term engagement, benefiting both the client and the firm. By offering comprehensive legacy planning support, advisors not only protect client interests but also reinforce their own professional standing in the market.

Evaheld: The Ultimate Professional-Grade Legacy Planning Tool

Bridging the Gap in Estate Planning with Evaheld

For many professional service firms, a persistent challenge is the disconnect between clients’ financial, legal, and personal affairs. Too often, clients lack a cohesive estate plan or critical documents, which can undermine even the most strategic advice. Evaheld app addresses this gap by providing a seamless, secure, and comprehensive solution that integrates the “human layer” of legacy planning into your firm’s offering. By supporting clients in capturing their wishes, values, and essential directives, Evaheld ensures that their personal intentions are fully aligned with their legal and financial strategies.

Empowering Clients with an Intuitive B2C App

Evaheld’s intuitive B2C app is designed for ease of use, enabling clients to organise their legacies with confidence. From uploading vital documents and advance care directives to archiving treasured photos and recording personal messages, the platform puts clients in control of their legacy. The app’s guided workflows help clients identify gaps, prompting them to complete essential tasks and store documents securely. This not only empowers individuals but also gives advisors a reliable way to encourage proactive legacy planning.

Partner Dashboard: Secure Engagement and Timely Follow-Up

For professional firms, Evaheld’s partner dashboard is a game-changer. With client consent, advisors can monitor which clients have engaged with the platform, track progress, and identify opportunities for timely follow-up conversations. This visibility transforms the client relationship from transactional to truly advisory, deepening trust and enhancing your firm’s reputation for care and diligence. The dashboard is designed with privacy regulations in mind, ensuring that all interactions respect client confidentiality and data protection standards.

Flexible Access: Free Vault, Premium Plan, and Family Plan

Evaheld offers a tiered pricing model to suit diverse client needs:

  • Free Vault: Permanent access to vital documents and basic legacy planning features, ideal for clients starting their journey.
  • Premium Plan: At $12/month or $120/year, clients unlock up to 1GB of secure storage, advanced asset management, and expanded document types.
  • Family Plan: For $25/month or $240/year, families receive 10GB of storage, enhanced asset management, and the ability to coordinate legacies across multiple members.

This flexibility ensures that every client, from individuals to complex family groups, can access the right level of support. Advisors can confidently recommend the most suitable plan, knowing each tier is underpinned by Evaheld’s robust security and user-friendly design.

Unmatched Security and Interoperability

Security is paramount in legacy planning. Evaheld sets the benchmark with bank-grade encryption, multi-factor authentication, and continuous monitoring. The platform’s interoperability ensures seamless integration with existing client service workflows, allowing advisors to incorporate estate planning software into their practice without disruption. This unique combination of security and flexibility distinguishes Evaheld from other solutions in the market.

Industry Recognition and Leadership

Evaheld’s commitment to innovation and social impact has been recognised with multiple APAC Insider Awards, validating its position as an industry leader. These accolades reflect Evaheld’s dedication to empowering both clients and professional firms, reinforcing its reputation as the ultimate, professional-grade legacy planning tool.

Enhancing Relationship Capital Through Proactive Legacy Planning

By integrating Evaheld into your client service offering, your firm demonstrates a proactive commitment to safeguarding clients’ legacies and protecting your professional reputation. The platform’s comprehensive features, secure storage, and flexible plans make it a natural, high-value extension of your advisory services—adding depth, trust, and enduring value to every client relationship.

Practical Steps to Integrate Legacy Planning into Your Practice

Introducing Evaheld as a Value-Add Service

Many clients have incomplete estate plans or lack essential documents, which can undermine even the most strategic financial, legal, or accounting advice. By introducing legacy planning support through the Evaheld app, firms can bridge this gap and offer a more holistic service. Position Evaheld as a professional-grade, secure solution that helps clients organise their wishes, personal stories, and critical documents in one place. Present it during client reviews or onboarding as a natural extension of your care—emphasising that legacy planning is not just about assets, but about ensuring their values and intentions are honoured.

Training Your Advisory Team for Natural Conversations

For legacy planning to become a seamless part of your practice, advisors must feel confident raising the topic. Provide training sessions focused on conversational techniques that introduce legacy planning as a standard, proactive step in comprehensive client care. Encourage team members to use open-ended questions, such as, “Have you thought about how you’d like your story and values to be remembered?” or “Are your personal wishes reflected in your current estate documents?” This approach transforms the relationship from transactional to truly advisory, deepening trust and engagement.

Setting Up the Partner Dashboard for Engagement Tracking

The Evaheld partner dashboard is designed for professional oversight and client engagement tracking. Set up the dashboard to monitor which clients have engaged with the app—always with explicit client consent. This feature allows your team to identify clients who may benefit from follow-up conversations, ensuring no one falls through the cracks. The dashboard’s intuitive interface makes it easy to see progress and prompt timely, value-driven discussions.

Demonstrating Impact Through Client Stories

Real-life examples are powerful tools for illustrating the benefits of legacy planning. With client permission, share anonymised stories that highlight how Evaheld helped families avoid confusion, honour personal wishes, or preserve treasured memories. These stories make the value of legacy planning tangible, helping clients understand the importance beyond legal compliance. Incorporate testimonials into your presentations, newsletters, or client meetings to build credibility and trust.

Privacy is paramount in legacy planning. Clearly explain how client information will be used, stored, and accessed within the Evaheld app and the partner dashboard. Always obtain explicit opt-in consent before tracking engagement or accessing any client data. This transparent approach builds trust and reassures clients that their sensitive information is handled with the utmost care and professionalism.

Measuring Success: Feedback, Retention, and Referrals

To justify the investment in legacy planning support, establish clear metrics for success. Collect client feedback through surveys or informal conversations to gauge satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. Monitor retention rates and track referral growth—clients who feel genuinely cared for are more likely to stay with your firm and recommend your services. Use these insights to refine your approach and demonstrate the tangible value of integrating legacy planning into your practice.

  • Stepwise integration ensures smooth adoption for both clients and staff.
  • Consent and transparency are essential for building trust in legacy planning services.
  • Client stories and clear metrics strengthen your firm’s reputation and service offering.

What If Your Legacy Planning Could Change Lives?

Imagine a family gathered in a solicitor’s office, emotions running high. A loved one has passed, but their wishes are unclear—there’s no advance care plan, no digital legacy instructions, and only fragments of an estate plan. What should have been a time of remembrance becomes a battleground of legal disputes and fractured relationships. The absence of clear legacy planning doesn’t just undermine the client’s intentions; it can unravel years of careful financial and legal work, leaving families at odds and professionals scrambling to resolve preventable issues.

Now, contrast this with a different scenario. Here, a family sits together, guided by clarity and comfort. Their loved one’s wishes are securely stored in Evaheld’s digital vault, with an advance care plan and digital legacy instructions easily accessible. The transition is smooth, free from confusion or conflict. The legacy left behind is not just financial—it is a tapestry of values, stories, and intentions, carefully preserved and honoured. This is the profound difference proactive legacy planning can make, not just for clients, but for the generations that follow.

For professional service firms, this is more than an administrative task—it is an opportunity to add a deeply human layer to your client service. Too often, estate plans are piecemeal or incomplete, undermining the strategic advice you provide. By integrating legacy planning support, you move beyond transactional interactions and become a true steward of your client’s wishes. This approach transforms the advisor-client relationship, fostering trust and loyalty that extends well beyond the numbers on a balance sheet.

Legacy planning is much like planting a heritage tree. The initial effort may seem small, but over time, the tree grows, offering shelter, shade, and fruit to future generations. Your role as an advisor is to help clients plant and nurture that tree, ensuring their legacy flourishes long after they are gone. With tools like Evaheld, this process becomes seamless and secure. The platform’s intuitive B2C app empowers clients to record their wishes, upload critical documents, and manage their digital legacy—all within a secure digital vault. For advisors, the partner dashboard provides a clear view of client engagement (with permission), enabling timely and meaningful follow-up conversations.

Research shows that proactive legacy planning not only prevents costly disputes but also preserves family harmony. When clients know their wishes will be respected and their stories remembered, the emotional and financial benefits are immeasurable. Storytelling is a powerful tool in this process, helping clients appreciate the true impact of legacy planning. By sharing real-life examples—families torn apart by uncertainty, or united by clarity—you can illustrate the value of these services in a way that resonates deeply.

As principals, partners, and senior advisors, you have the unique opportunity to pioneer a holistic approach to client care. Legacy planning is not just an add-on; it is a meaningful transformation of your service offering. By championing this cause, you protect your clients’ legacies, enhance your professional reputation, and build relationship capital that endures. With Evaheld as your trusted partner, you can confidently guide clients through every step, knowing their wishes—and your firm’s reputation—are in safe hands.

The question is no longer whether legacy planning matters, but how you will lead the way. By embracing this holistic, human-centred approach, you can truly change lives—one legacy at a time.

Future-Proof Your Family’s Story with the Evaheld Legacy Vault

Imagine a single, permanent home for your life's most precious layers: the laughter in your stories, the wisdom in your wishes, and the clarity of your care plans. The Evaheld Legacy Vault is that home—a guaranteed sanctuary for your legacy, designed to outlive the digital noise and ensure your voice is heard for generations.

This is more than storage; it's the one account your family will thank you for creating.

Take control of what matters most — set up your free Evaheld Legacy Vault to keep your stories, care wishes, and essential documents safe, organised, and instantly shareable with loved ones and advisers, for life.

Get Your Vault Running in Minutes with Charli, Your AI Legacy Preservation Assistant

Stop feeling overwhelmed. Charli is your proactive guide who simplifies every step—from setting up your vault and inviting family members to sending smart content requests and helping you articulate your stories. She doesn't just help you write; she helps you build, ensuring your entire legacy is preserved efficiently and authentically.

Your All-in-One Legacy Solution

  • Preserve a Rich, Living History: Build a first-person narrative with video messages, audio recordings, legacy letters, and recipes—a digital heirloom where your wisdom and memories are kept safe and searchable.
  • Co-Create in Family Rooms: Spark conversations and gather memories together in shared, collaborative spaces. It’s a living scrapbook that grows with every contribution from your family.
  • Simplify Every Step with Charli, Your AI Legacy Preservation Assistant: From onboarding and inviting family to sending content requests and articulating your stories, Charli provides proactive guidance throughout your entire legacy-building journey—ensuring nothing is forgotten while keeping the process effortless.
  • Honour Your Care Wishes: Complete your legally valid Digital Advance Care Directive with our intuitive tool. Grant loved ones and clinicians instant, secure access, ending frantic document searches for good.
  • Grant Emergency Access in Seconds: Share or print your unique QR Emergency Access Card. A single scan gives first responders immediate access to your directives, enabling faster, better-aligned care when every second counts.
  • Safeguard Every Essential Document: Consolidate your will, power of attorney, superannuation details, and more in one bank-grade encrypted vault. Your family will always find what they need, securely.

How to Secure Your Legacy in Minutes

  1. Start Your Free Vault: Claim your personal, secure space in under a minute. No cost, no commitment.
  2. Add Your People & Open Rooms: Invite family to shared Rooms to begin co-creating your story and sending content requests.
  3. Build Your Legacy: Use your built-in AI assistant to help capture memories and refine your messages. Upload documents and record your care wishes. Your voice, preserved forever.

Why Thousands Are Choosing Evaheld

By starting your free Evaheld Legacy Vault, you gain:

  • A Living Time Capsule — preserve your family’s identity, values, and care choices in one lasting digital home.
  • With Charli, Your AI Assistant, Preserving Your Story is Effortless
  • Ease & Organisation — everything important, easily shared and always up to date.
  • Peace of Mind for All Generations — loved ones know exactly what you wish, and where to find it.
  • Free to Begin, Forever to Keep — create your vault now and secure lifetime access

Watch our Cofounder's Story to learn why we’re so passionate about Legacy Preservation and Advance Care Planning

The Best 3 Resources to Get Started

Start Your Vault — It’s Free and Forever Yours

Building your Evaheld Legacy Vault takes minutes — and protects your stories, care plans, and family legacy for generations. Give your loved ones the greatest gift of all: peace of mind that never expires.

TL;DR: Legacy planning support bridges the estate planning gap by aligning client wishes with legal and financial strategies using intuitive tools like Evaheld, fostering stronger, advisory-level client relationships.

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