The financial planning profession stands at a crossroads. For decades, the dominant model has been extraction—advisers taking a percentage of client assets under management, year after year, regardless of whether real value was delivered. But a profound shift is under way, and those who fail to adapt risk being left behind.
The Great Wealth Transfer Is Already Underway
By the end of this decade, Gen Z is set to inherit billions in what is being called the great wealth transfer. Parents and grandparents, wary of government tax raids, are already accelerating the process. The April 2027 change that will bring unspent pension pots into estates for inheritance tax purposes has triggered a wave of “gifting with warm hands.” And with a £50bn budget deficit, November’s fiscal statement could introduce even tighter rules on lifetime gifting.
Here’s the hard truth: by the time those gifts have been made, it’s too late to form relationships with the next generation. Financial planners who wait risk losing entire client families overnight. The opportunity—and responsibility—is to engage now.
Gen Z Doesn’t Want Extractive Advisers
But here’s the bigger challenge: Gen Z doesn’t want the old guard of extractive financial planners. They see little value in paying thousands for services they don’t understand, tied to products they don’t trust.
- 36% of Gen Z rely on social media “finfluencers” as their main source of financial guidance, while fewer than 1 in 10 would approach a professional adviser.
- 79% have accessed advice through social media, and more than a quarter say they would never consider an adviser without a social media presence.
- They want transparent, flexible fee models—one-off sessions, flat fees, or clear value-for-money comparisons, not opaque ongoing charges.
To this generation, financial advice “seems stuffy,” elitist, and out of touch. They want empowerment: someone who equips them with tools, skills, and confidence to make their own decisions—not someone who locks them into dependency.
From Extraction to Empowerment
This is where the future lies. Empowering planners are educators, coaches, and collaborators. They help clients:
- Align money with purpose.
- Build financial independence earlier.
- Develop the skills to manage wealth across their lifetime.
- Use human capital strategies (knowledge, skills, networks) alongside financial capital.
The empowerment model is transparent, product-free, and designed to serve everyone, not just the already wealthy.
Why Now?
Because the window is closing. The wealth transfer is happening in real time. Families are moving money across generations today—not tomorrow. Gen Z is shaping expectations of value, trust, and accessibility. Regulators and governments are rewriting the rules.
There is no later.
A Call to Planners Ready to Lead the Shift
At the Academy of Life Planning, we believe the profession must pivot now—from extraction to empowerment. We’ve built a 12-week launch programme that equips financial planners with everything they need:
- A complete web and tech stack, branded to your needs.
- Training in empowerment-first planning frameworks like the GAME Plan™.
- The tools to reach Gen Z where they are—online, on social, and in their communities.
If you’re a financial planner ready to step into the future, we can help you launch or relaunch your business in just three months.
The question isn’t whether empowerment will replace extraction. It’s whether you will be among the pioneers who lead this change—or among those who are left behind when the next generation turns elsewhere.
👉 If you think that’s you, contact us today. The future of financial planning is here, and it needs you. Download the Elite Planner Accelerator Programme brochure today.
Academy of Life Planning 