Why advisors should bring up charitable planning in every client meeting

Philanthropy has always been more than a strategy for me – it’s been a passion since I was a child, raising money for causes long before I knew what a charitable remainder trust or donor-advised fund was. That personal passion eventually led me to earn my Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation and build a career helping families connect their wealth with their values.

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: charitable planning should come up in every client meeting. Not just for the families you already know are philanthropic. Not just for the ultra-wealthy. Every client, every time.

When you work with high-net-worth families, you quickly realize that their goals almost always come down to two things – providing for their loved ones and leaving a lasting mark on the world. Charitable planning helps them do both. It’s not simply about deductions or tax efficiency, though those are valuable benefits. It’s about giving clients a way to express their values, involve their children and write a story for their wealth that goes beyond dollars and cents.

That’s why I believe offering a holistic philanthropy strategy is one of the most effective tools advisors can use to move up market. If you can guide families in these conversations, you aren’t just managing portfolios – you’re stepping into the role of a trusted guide and legacy partner.

Some of the most powerful moments in my career have come from simply asking questions such as, “I see you give to the Cancer Institute every year – why is that cause so important to you?” The answers I’ve heard range from deeply personal losses to simple gratitude for a life saved. Those conversations reveal more about a client than years of market updates ever could. They make the relationship stronger, and can make the advisor indispensable.

Philanthropy also opens the door to the next generation.

My colleague, Private Client Services and Solutions Strategist Jamie Carroll, recently shared how her clients hold family meetings where the kids suggest charities to support through a donor-advised fund. That one exercise not only teaches stewardship, it brings the children into the wealth conversation in a positive way. Too often, advisors lose the next generation when money transfers. But when kids have been part of shaping the family’s giving legacy, they already see you as part of their story.

Yes, charitable planning can be a smart tax strategy. Trusts, donor-advised funds, private foundations – these are important tools for high-net-worth families, and they can absolutely improve outcomes. But I’ll be honest: I never start with the math, I start with meaning. Once you’ve connected with the “why,” the technical structures fall into place naturally, and clients can see their wealth working toward something bigger.

So, how can you make charitable planning a consistent part of your process? Here are a few ideas that work in practice:

• Add philanthropy to the agenda. Even a simple question like, “What causes have been on your mind lately?” opens the door. Making it a regular item signals that this is as important as performance or tax updates.
• Use giving as a bridge to the next generation. Encourage clients to hold an annual family meeting to discuss charitable priorities. Donor-advised funds make this easy and can help younger family members develop financial stewardship.
• Frame it as legacy, not just tax. Lead with purpose. Once clients articulate their “why,” you can introduce trusts, CLTs, CRTs or other structures in a way that feels natural and aligned with their values.
• Listen for stories, not just numbers. When a client tells you why they support a specific charity, you learn what truly matters to them. That insight will help guide every other planning conversation you have.

If you want to move up market, you must learn to speak the language of legacy. For wealthy families, philanthropy is that language. It’s not optional, and it shouldn’t be an afterthought. Making it part of every meeting normalizes the conversation and creates opportunities that might otherwise never surface.

For me, philanthropy will always be personal. For advisors, it should also be strategic. In my experience, most families are interested in strategies to have their wealth outlast them in some meaningful way. When you help them discover and act on that vision, you aren’t just their advisor – you become part of their legacy.

Heather Zack, JD, LLM, MSFP, CAP, is Private Client Services Solutions Strategist at Carson Group, where she focuses on advanced planning and client solutions. She holds advanced degrees in financial planning, estate planning and law, and previously served as director of high-net-worth clients at Commonwealth Financial Network. Earlier in her career, she held roles at Merrill Lynch and Investors Capital.