Life planning has influenced financial planning enormously over the past decade but it is still in its infancy and not widely embraced by the independent advisory industry. I doubt the new tool I am about to tell you about will change that single-handedly, but it may be a step in the right direction.

While leading financial advisory firms have embraced life planning, the vast majority of financial planners do little or nothing to incorporate the “soft” side of planning in their practices.

For example, George Kinder, a founding father of the life planning movement, and his organization, The Kinder Institute of Life Planning, the leader in the training life planners has trained only about 1,000 of the nation’s 60,000 CFP licensees. Why has this style of planning, which has been embraced by many leaders of the industry, not achieved deeper penetration?

Largely because it takes a significant effort to enter life planning. For instance, Kinder Insitute’s program involves an intense five-day training program and six-month mentorship, which can earn a practitioner a Registered Life Planner designation. Money Quotient, a relative newcomer to training advisors in life planning, offers a three-day training program that incorporates practical tools and processes that can be implemented by its licensees. These programs require a major commitment.

It's difficult to change your business model and invest the time and resources to revamp your practice in even the best of times. Doing so in the wake of the financial crisis is even more difficult.

Now, in a move that is likely to be derided by advisors who have been trained as life planners by one of the established educational programs, let me introduce you to a new life planning solution for advisors who want to dip their toe in life planning without making a huge commitment in time and money.

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