How to Help Clients Make the Next 100 Days Impactful
May marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Each day,
the sun inches higher in the sky, bringing warmer temperatures, blooming flowers, and a
hopeful mindset as thoughts turn to the promise of long days and warm nights ahead.
The next 100 days, which blend spring's fresh start and summer's slower, more relaxed pace,
are an opportune time to connect with clients, get them thinking about their plans for the rest of
the year, and ensure that their personal and professional goals align with their broader financial
and estate plans.
Gentle reminders now can help them feel more prepared and confident as summer enters full
swing and demonstrate that we are always keeping their best interests top of mind.
Housecleaning - Physically, Metaphorically, and Financially
The natural rhythm of the seasons and the rituals surrounding it offer a chance to engage your
clients on a deeper, more human level while reinforcing financial and estate planning
fundamentals.
Spring cleaning has roots in cultures and religious traditions that date back centuries, including
the Jewish practice of cleaning homes to remove chametz (leavened bread) for Passover,
commemorating the Israelites' quick departure from Egypt, and the Iranian tradition of khaneh
tekani ("shaking the house") before the Persian New Year, Nowruz, symbolizing purification and
renewal.
Some Christian traditions, such as cleaning the church altar before Good Friday or cleaning for
Lent, also have elements of spring tidying. In China, a thorough cleaning of the house before
the Lunar New Year is a tradition that incorporates religious practices and symbolizes sweeping
away ill fortune to make room for positive energy in the coming year.
In nineteenth-century America, the custom of spring cleaning took hold as pioneers swept out
the soot and grime from winter's coal once warmer days allowed open windows.
Today, 80 percent of Americans engage in the annual spring-cleaning routine, according to the
American Cleaning Institute.1 The top areas people target in their homes are those that tend to
get overlooked in daily and weekly cleaning, including floors and baseboards, storage spaces,
windows, and areas behind furniture.2
This collective desire for renewal and order can serve as a powerful metaphor for client matters.
Like those places in the home that are often neglected in daily and weekly cleaning routines,
some aspects of financial and estate plans can be overlooked - such as a recently opened
investment account a client has not yet added to their personal asset inventory or a change to a
life insurance beneficiary designation - and need to be cleaned up and organized.
Spring cleaning's essence - clearing away the old to make way for the new - can reflect
planning goals. Extending this metaphor, you can be the advisor who helps clients polish up
their legacy by discussing the need to do things such as clear out the cobwebs from outdated
wills, beneficiary designations, guardians, powers of attorney, or incomplete asset lists.
With tax season behind us, now is also a perfect time to declutter and dust off financial
strategies for the year ahead, including reviewing deductions, contributions, and estimated tax
payments; organizing financial documents for the first half of the year; preparing for midyear
adjustments; going over any changes to tax laws from the past few months; assessing asset
allocations; and reminding those who filed an extension of the October 15 deadline.
Summer Vacation - Relaxation Meets Preparation
Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, the time for a different type of tradition:
summer vacation.
Travel is a top priority for Americans in 2025. More than 90 percent say they plan to travel this
year.3 The primary reasons for travel are relaxation, adventure, and visiting loved ones.4 Most
plan to travel with family.5
However, if this summer is anything like last summer, many Americans may forgo a summer
vacation due to affordability concerns. Of those who do plan to travel, more than one-third say
they are willing to go into debt to pay for their trip.6 Around 60 percent say they prioritize travel
when managing their finances, and 79 percent are budgeting for travel this year.7
Statistics like these suggest that summer travel plans can be a bridge to finance and budgetrelated topics. There is still time for clients to build up a summer vacation fund, for example,
rather than taking on debt, especially when credit card balances and rates are at record highs.8
Since many families book travel well in advance, the conversation can shift to pretravel financial
logistics, such as ensuring that bills are paid and informing their bank and credit card companies
about travel plans to avoid account freezes or card blocks.
In addition to reminding clients to get their financial houses in order prior to summer travel,
advisors can also stress preparedness measures such as securing travel documents (e.g.,
passports and insurance cards), compiling emergency contact information, having up-to-date
powers of attorney in case someone needs to manage their affairs while they are away or
someone needs to make a medical decision on the client's behalf, and checking local laws at
their destination to avoid legal, cultural, and safety and security snafus.
Estate Planning - A Plan for All Seasons
Helping clients sweep their financial floors clean this spring can clear the way for a stress-free
and enjoyable summer. The transition into summer also provides a seasonal backdrop for
reinforcing the importance of estate planning.
Seasons change, lives change, and estate plans should change as we hit certain natural
milestones and key life events, such as birth or adoption; a beneficiary reaching adulthood;
illness, death, or disability in the family; starting a job or closing a business; or a significant
change in asset values or net worth.
Seasonal checkpoints and 100-day intervals can be valuable for assessing planning goals and
action plans, but it is important to always reiterate to clients the longer time horizon of financial
and estate planning and that it takes a year-round and lifelong effort - with the help of a group of
advisors working as a team - to craft a legacy that lasts well beyond their own lifetime.
To discuss how we can work together over the next 100 days and beyond on financial and
estate planning matters for our clients, reach out to schedule a time to talk.
MEREDITH | PC
4325 Windsor Centre Trail
Suite 400
Flower Mound Texas 75028
214-513-1013
This newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as written advice about a Federal tax matter. Readers should consult with their own professional advisors to evaluate or pursue tax, accounting, financial, or legal planning strategies.
You have received this newsletter because I believe you will find its content valuable. Please feel free to Contact Me if you have any questions about this or any matters relating to estate planning.
