Some advisors avoid using the word “death” with clients when discussing estate planning.wildpixel/iStockPhoto / Getty Images
Good morning. This week, I wrote about how executors-to-be are requesting to see death binders as a condition of managing a person’s estate. Death binders are a topic of interest for advisors and clients alike. In July, 2024, I first looked at their surging popularity in estate planner circles, and since that time, not a month goes by that I haven’t received a letter from a reader about the subject.
Consumer readers understand death binders clearly. They either want to share theirs or brainstorm ideas on ways to get theirs started or finished.
But many advisors chastised me for using a morbid term to describe such an important tool. I didn’t obviously coin “death binder” – I’ve heard dynamic names such as the “legacy folder” or “estate workbook.” But seriously, the advisor reaction left me stymied: Why so afraid to use the word “death?”
I said nothing at the time, but I recently asked the question to some advisors and financial planners.
Harjeet Sangha, senior wealth advisor at OceanWealth Inc. in Vancouver, says he finds that for some families, the word “death” can feel too final.
“It often shuts down the conversation before it begins,” he notes. “Instead, I’ll sometimes use the phrase, ‘When the universe gives you wings.’ It softens the discussion and creates space to focus on what truly matters … the impact, relationships, and values they want carried forward.”
Brian Wruk, a trusts and estate practitioner at Transition Financial Advisors Group Inc. in Gilbert, Ariz., often uses the phrase, “When you become an angel” instead of “death.”
“Discussions around estate and incapacity aren’t fun things for clients to talk about, so I try to use language to get them engaged in difficult conversations,” he says. “Who wants to sit around and talk about, ‘If I die, I want this to happen?’”
On the other hand, Adam Weersink, certified financial planner (CFP) at Cox Private Wealth in Lethbridge, Alta., is never uncomfortable talking about death, and for good reason – his extended family owns several funeral homes. He says advisors need to build “great comfort” in discussing death more directly.
“While death is a universal reality, [many advisors] tend to remain within our area of expertise: money,” he says.
“Traditional estate planning naturally aligns with that comfort zone, allowing us to focus on the financial and legal mechanics. But few advisors step beyond those boundaries to address what estate planning means outside of dollars and documents.”
Jason Heath, managing director and CFP at Objective Financial Partners Inc. in Markham, Ont., also has no qualms using the word “death” with clients.
“Too many clients ignore estate decisions because they do not expect to die,” Mr. Heath says. “But there’s a 100 per cent probability it will happen. The only uncertainty is when. And unfortunately, it can happen when you least expect it, and that’s the point of planning.”
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