THE LONG VIEW

Jamie P. Hopkins

Advisors who bring digital assets into estate planning show foresight and care that goes beyond portfolio performance.

INANCIAL ADVISORS KNOW TRUST IS BUILT NOT JUST THROUGH portfolio returns but by guiding clients through life’ s complexities. Today, one of the most overlooked areas of planning sits in plain sight: digital assets.

According to a recent survey at our firm, Bryn Mawr Trust, the average person values their digital assets— which means everything from their bank apps and loyalty points to business accounts and family photos— at nearly $ 200,000, yet less than half those we spoke with( 44 %) said their advisor has addressed estate planning for these assets.

There are consequences for that. Clients could suffer lost value, family disputes or locked accounts at a difficult time. Advisors, meanwhile, might find dissatisfied clients and liability claims or otherwise miss opportunities to deliver meaningful value.

And meanwhile, clients are increasingly expecting their advisors to address this issue. Our survey found that nearly eight in 10 Americans believe protecting their digital assets is just as important as safeguarding other financial assets. If advisors aren’ t prepared to discuss estate planning for these items, they risk appearing out of touch with the ways clients actually live and transact.

Why Advisors Hesitate

Why the hesitation? For one thing, many advisors view digital assets as outside their traditional scope. Passwords, file storage and social media accounts

Help clients organize. Encourage them to create a secure inventory of key accounts, files and assets, along with clear instructions on how these should be accessed or transferred. feel like IT, not finance. Others fear liability if clients expect them to monitor every account or hold their credentials. The rules can also feel messy— since digital assets fall under the dictates of states’ laws and also are at the mercy of platform tools and service agreements.

But avoidance leaves a void, and in a competitive industry, voids turn into opportunities for other professionals, perhaps your rivals. Tech platforms, attorneys and competing advisors are already beginning to position themselves as experts in this space. If you don’ t lead the conversation with your own clients, someone else will, and a client’ s relationship could switch.

Turning Risk Into A Growth Opportunity

On the other hand, you could use this subject to deepen your relationships, differentiate your services and safeguard your client retention. You don’ t need to act as a digital vault or legal technician. You simply need to guide your clients toward proactive planning and ensure that their digital wealth is integrated into their broader financial plans. Here are a few practical ways to do that:

1. Raise the topic proactively. Don’ t wait for clients to ask. You can simply ask them,“ Have you considered how your digital accounts and files will be handled if something happens to you?” That starts a richer dialogue. Clients may not

NOVEMBER 2025 | FINANCIAL ADVISOR MAGAZINE | 21