Carson Group bets on estate planning to lock in clients across generations

Carson Group is rolling out a dedicated estate planning capability for its advisor network, positioning the service as a tool for holding onto clients and their heirs, as trillions of dollars shift hands across generations.

The Omaha-based wealth advisory firm, which manages more than $58 billion in assets across more than 165 partner offices says the move pairs a structured planning framework with support from Carson's in-house Advanced Planning Team and a curated network of outside estate planning specialists.

The offering is also connected to Carson's existing tax and private client services, giving advisors a more integrated set of resources to bring to complex planning conversations.

"At a time when wealth is moving between generations more than ever before, estate planning has become a critical part of how advisors retain relationships and create continuity for families," said Dani Fava, Carson Group's Chief Strategy Officer. "Carson's estate planning program helps advisors deliver more sophisticated, integrated planning for clients with increasingly complex needs. We're investing here because advisors need a more consistent way to incorporate estate planning into their practice. This is about helping them deepen relationships, deliver more coordinated planning and create long-term continuity across generations."

Carson's model is built around making estate planning less of a specialist function and more of a routine touchpoint. With a client base of around 60,000 families, the firm’s framework is meant to help advisors spot planning opportunities earlier and have better-informed client conversations, without requiring them to develop deep technical expertise themselves.

"Advisors don't need to become estate planning specialists to deliver meaningful value in this area," said David Haughton, Carson's vice president of estate planning. "What they need is a clear way to recognize when planning is needed, start the right conversations and connect clients to the appropriate expertise. This approach gives advisors a practical path to do that consistently, while expanding access to the infrastructure, specialized support and integrated solutions needed to serve increasingly sophisticated client needs."

The program includes educational resources and coaching aimed at building advisor confidence, along with access to vetted outside providers who can assist clients in implementing, updating, and ultimately administering an estate plan.