As financial planning continues to evolve, the role of advisors has become increasingly holistic. Clients don’t just look to advisors for portfolio allocations—they expect guidance across every dimension of their financial life, including estate planning.
A recent Kitces Research Report, “How Financial Planners Actually Do Financial Planning,” provides valuable insights into how top-performing advisors deliver value—and what differentiates them.
One of the key findings? Advisors who help clients with estate planning win on both perceived value and client satisfaction. The Kitces Report cited Trust & Will as one of the top estate planning platforms that allows advisory firms to “directly help clients implement their estate planning documents.”
Estate Planning: A Key Driver of Advisor Value
According to Kitces’ findings, estate planning ranks among the top areas where clients perceive significant value from their advisor relationships. This research aligns with Trust & Will’s recent findings; over 70% of Americans now expect estate planning to be a part of their financial advising experience.
Yet, despite its impact, many advisors still treat estate planning as a “check-the-box” item or outsource it entirely. This poses the risk of losing out on opportunities to strengthen client relationships and build trust.
Some key findings from the report include:
Modern advisors are shifting from estate planning "analysis" tools to platforms that help clients directly implement their estate plans.
A growing category of “tech-enabled service providers” is helping bridge the gap between financial advice and estate document execution—offering scale and efficiency for both clients and advisors.
Estate planning remains one of the few areas of planning where software usage is increasing, even as other specialized tools see declining adoption.
Trust & Will Recognized in Kitces Report
In a notable callout within Kitces research, Trust & Will ranks among the top-rated estate planning platforms, with an advisor satisfaction score of 7.9 out of 10. That puts us ahead of traditional competitors and signals a broader shift toward simplified, tech-forward solutions that empower advisors.
Figure 5.11 from the report shows Trust & Will grouped under “Outsourced Document Preparation,” where only a handful of tools—including Wealth.com and FP Alpha—earned notable market share and satisfaction scores. Among this group, Trust & Will stands out not only for its strong advisor satisfaction, but also as a pioneer in modern estate plan delivery.
Designed for the Way Advisors Work Today
We’ve spent years listening to advisors and building a solution that:
Makes it easy to initiate and track client estate plans,
Delivers attorney-approved documents in all 50 states,
Integrates with the broader financial planning conversation to deepen client relationships.
We were also proud to become the first strategic partner in the estate planning category approved by LPL Financial, and quickly became the firm’s fastest-growing third-party solution. A post-launch a milestone that underscores our commitment to compliance, scalability, and advisor empowerment. “Trust & Will’s capabilities, through their advisor-mediated workflows, have helped our clients uncover additional needs that were previously unsupported. This expansion has increased assets under management and on-platform for the firm. By assessing clients’ needs and strategies, summarizing plans, and more, Trust & Will has empowered our advisors to expand their client relationships with a comprehensive planning offering.” – Geoff Griffin, VP, Strategic Technology Partnerships, LPL Financial
Advisors: Don’t Miss the Opportunity
Your clients already expect holistic planning. The Kitces report confirms that those who deliver on estate planning—efficiently, proactively, and with the right tools—stand out in the market. Click here to read our recent interview with a top financial advisor who discusses the business opportunities that await when it comes to integrating estate planning into financial advisory practices.
Let Trust & Will help you rise above the status quo. Explore the Advisor Platform.
Interested in partnering with Trust & Will to enhance your own clients’ estate planning needs? Learn more about how you can join over 17,000 financial advisors and firms who are delivering peace of mind to their clients by offering a comprehensive estate planning solution. Schedule a free demo today.
Trust & Will is an online service providing legal forms and information. We are not a law firm and we do not provide legal advice.
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