Advisors: When is the right time to speak with senior investors about financial security?

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Sept. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new white paper by BNY Mellon's Pershing, "Serving the Needs of Senior Clients," the best time to address potential future health issues and plan for financial security in advanced years is when investors still have full mental and physical capability—as early as the mid-fifties and early sixties.

The first of the Baby Boomers turned 70 this year, with another 1.5 million reaching that milestone each year for the next 15 years. Today, majority of seniors are living longer and healthier lives. By concentrating on this growing market early, advisors can provide financial planning services for decades longer than previous generations.

"Creating a practice focusing on the unique needs of this growing group can be a differentiator and business driver," says Janet Kelly, Head of Practice Management, Pershing. "Further, working with senior clients can be truly rewarding as advisors become a trusted resource for these investors, as well as their families, and play an active role in their legacy planning."

Tips for Creating a Practice Serving the Needs of Senior Clients:

• Understand "The New Old"
  Understand and differentiate between the needs and health concerns of young-seniors (60-75 years old), mid-seniors (75-85 years old), and old-seniors (86 and older) to help guide the conversations based on each group's unique needs.
• Start the Conversation Early
  Start planning for advanced age in mid-fifties to early-sixties to ensure that proper documentation is completed while the client can make reasoned and thoughtful decisions.
• Update Your Office Space
  Review your office lay out to ensure ease of access, as well as an environment that is welcoming and comfortable to  demonstrate your awareness of the needs of senior clients.
• Adopt Effective Meeting Techniques
  Speak in clear terms, keep detailed notes of meetings and provide clients with written summaries to help promote ease of communication.
• Help Facilitate the Client-Family Conversations
  Encourage clients to discuss their estate plans and other important decisions with their children to uncover sibling interaction challenges and their effect on clients' estate and legacy planning.

"With the growing population of senior investors, there is opportunity for advisors to establish processes and obtain knowledge about this critical client category," says Kathleen Johnson, VP of Practice Management at Pershing. "At Pershing, we help advisors build a business that addresses the unique needs of senior clients so they can establish valuable relationships not only with aging clients, but also with their adult children to facilitate effective wealth transfer planning discussions."

For more information, and to download "Serving the Needs of Senior Clients," please visit https://www.pershing.com/perspectives/senior-clients-having-the-hard-conversation.

About BNY Mellon's Pershing
BNY Mellon's Pershing and its affiliates provide advisors, broker-dealers, family offices, hedge fund and '40 Act fund managers, registered investment advisor firms and wealth managers with a broad suite of global financial business solutions. Many of the world's most sophisticated and successful financial services firms rely on Pershing for clearing and custody, investment and retirement solutions, technology, enterprise data management, trading services, prime brokerage and business consulting. Pershing helps clients improve profitability and drive growth, create capacity and efficiency, attract and retain talent, and manage risk and regulation. With a network of 23 offices worldwide, Pershing provides business-to-business solutions to clients representing more than 6 million investor accounts globally. Pershing LLC (member FINRA, NYSE, SIPC) is a BNY Mellon company. Additional information is available on pershing.com, or follow us on Twitter @Pershing.

About BNY Mellon
BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment management and investment services in 35 countries and more than 100 markets. As of June 30, 2017, BNY Mellon had $31.1 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.8 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com. Follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon or visit our newsroom at www.bnymellon.com/newsroom for the latest company news.

Paul Patella
+1 201 413 3609
[email protected]

SOURCE BNY Mellon

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