Navigating Succession Plans When Founders Are Having Second-Thoughts On Retirement: Kitces & Carl Ep 119
Aug 24, 2023
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In this episode, the hosts discuss the challenges of older advisors delaying retirement and the motivations behind succession plans. They explore the importance of clear communication and compromise in retirement planning and emphasize the need for making difficult decisions and embracing change in succession plans.
Honest conversations between senior and younger advisors are crucial in addressing challenges of retiring senior advisors.
Painting a clear picture of what retirement could look like and incorporating expertise and interests into a new role can help motivate senior advisors to retire.
Deep dives
The Challenge of Senior Advisors Not Retiring
Many senior advisors in the industry are hesitant to retire and let go of their businesses. This is often because they enjoy their work, make good money, and don't have clear plans for what they would do in retirement. As a result, succession plans get delayed and younger advisors like Ryan find themselves in a difficult situation. The conversation opens up about why so many advisors struggle with retirement and why the assumption of retiring at a certain age might not be the best approach.
The Need for Honest Conversations
One key aspect of addressing the challenges of retiring senior advisors is having honest conversations. It is essential for the senior advisor to be transparent about their uncertainty or change of plans. In turn, the younger advisor like Ryan needs to assess their readiness to leave and communicate it honestly. Both parties should be clear about their intentions and explore alternative options that go beyond a binary choice of retiring or not retiring.
Painting a Picture of Retirement
Another crucial factor in addressing these challenges is helping senior advisors paint a clear picture of what retirement could look like and what they would be retiring to. Many advisors are not motivated to retire because they enjoy their income, identity, and the work itself. If they don't have a compelling vision of what comes next, they may resist retirement. By finding ways to incorporate their expertise, relationships, and interests into a new role, a third way can be created that benefits both the senior advisor and the younger advisor looking for more responsibility.
In our 119th episode of Kitces & Carl, Michael Kitces and client communication expert Carl Richards discuss how to get an older advisor (who isn't as engaged in growing the business anymore) to let go and retire.