At Navirum, we’ve partnered with thousands of advisors across North America, and succession planning consistently stands out as the most important – and most difficult – initiative they face. Not because of markets or products, but because it’s about legacy, clients, and the business built over decades.
Yet, 60% of Financial Advisors have no succession plan, even when they’re within 10 years of retirement? [Ref 1, Ref 2]
Some thoughts on what Advisors can do…
The Strategic Approach
Succession works best when it’s treated as a strategic goal, not an afterthought. Advisors who set a clear retirement horizon and work backwards build firms that are fit for today and resilient for tomorrow. A practical rule of thumb: allow at least one month of preparation for every year your practice has been in business. If your systems and processes are solid, plan to reinvest 1-5% of annual revenue to get succession-ready.
The Personal Reality
At Navirum, we’ve seen how personal these projects are – particularly for advisors nearing retirement, knowing they may be engaging in the last major initiative of their careers. Wealth management is fundamentally a people business. Succession is about building a platform so those client relationships can live on beyond any one advisor. Even when legacy isn’t the stated goal, every step taken is building one. A clear reality check on what you want – whether a clean exit, phased transition, or lasting platform – should guide your priorities and investments.
Capturing Institutional Knowledge
Succession isn’t just about the founder’s expertise. Long-time staff and managers also hold critical knowledge that must be captured and built into a living knowledge base. In many firms, consolidating the founder’s institutional knowledge – along with decades of physical and digital information – is the largest task. But it’s equally important to document the insights of other senior team members. Succession is the opportunity to bring all that knowledge into one central place, integrating it into systems and processes. This is one of the most strategic steps in the entire project
The Valuation Impact
Finally, succession is about valuation. Firms with clean data, documented processes, and modern systems don’t just transition smoothly – they also command higher multiples when buyers step in. Below this article I’ve provided answers to 20 FAQs and common questions I success from Advisors on their succession journey
So succession isn’t about leaving. It’s about what you leave behind – and how strong a foundation you create for the next chapter.
– Rory, Navirum Founder and CEO
Interested in discussing solutions further we would be delighted to help
Succession FAQs
Name a primary successor and 1 – 2 deputies by function (lead advisor, ops, compliance), then publish a simple RACI so Day-1 decisions are unambiguous. Example: “Prospects → A, Planning → B, Trading → C.” This clarity cuts execution risk and keeps the team focused.
Write a one-page “why now / what changes / how we’ll win,” attach a timeline, and schedule short touchpoints. Use a lightweight change model (e.g., awareness → adoption → reinforcement). Consistent messaging kills rumors and accelerates adoption.
Tier households by risk (e.g., AUM, complexity, multiple relationships) and set outreach cadence by tier. Example: Tier-1 monthly touches, Tier-2 bi-monthly. Proactive communication reduces churn at inflection points.
Standardize fields, dedupe records, and fix ownership now; publish data standards. Clean data drives adoption and enables automation. It also boosts firm valuation in diligence.
Build a knowledge base. This is critical! Write short SOPs for onboarding, KYC, trading, billing, complaints, and store them in a searchable hub. Include links, forms, and owners. This preserves institutional memory beyond any single person. Develop playbooks that bring these SOPs and FAQs together into usable tools
Keep it to one page with triggers, steps, owners, and “if/then” branches. Add screenshots and the top 3 pitfalls. Short, contextual guidance gets used—long manuals don’t.
