Planning & Beyond®

Adam Holt, founder and CEO of Asset-Map and former financial planner, discusses how advice delivery must evolve by 2030. He covers why human skills like empathy and behavioral coaching will outlast tech, how visual maps can deepen family and multi-generational relationships, and what firm structures and skills advisors should invest in now to stay relevant.

Text us to share what you found helpful!You've got your CRM humming. Your workflows are tight. Your service calendar is consistent. So why aren't clients more engaged?Here's what most advisors miss: efficiency doesn't equal engagement. A frictionless experience is table stakes, not a differentiator. And if you're only solving for your own pain points instead of what clients actually need, you're leaving massive opportunities on the table.Julie Littlechild, CEO and Founder of Absolute Engagement, has spent decades helping advisors understand what clients truly want. Spoiler: they can't tell you unless you ask. And most advisors never ask the right questions at the right time.In this conversation, Julie walks through her Experience Innovation Framework, the evolution from efficient to engaging to enduring client experiences. You'll learn why the data you're drowning in isn't the data you actually need, and how to capture real-time insights about how clients are thinking and feeling at critical moments in their journey.We talk about the psychological barrier that keeps advisors from asking for feedback (hint: it's fear dressed up as "people are over-surveyed"), the difference between transactional questions and transformational ones, and why asking about life goals in an onboarding form doesn't cut it anymore.Julie shares practical starting points, whether you're a solo advisor or building a team. The framework isn't about doing everything at once. It's about knowing where you are and what comes next. Start with one or two key touchpoints. Mix a few simple questions. Position it as what's in it for the client, not what's in it for you.And here's the kicker: just asking for feedback can increase referrals. Not because you did anything with it yet, just because you asked.If you're ready to move beyond checking the boxes and start building experiences that actually deepen relationships and accelerate growth, this one's for you.RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATIONConnect with Julie LittlechildWebsite: AbsoluteEngagement.comLinkedIn: Julie LittlechildBlog: Subscribe at AbsoluteEngagement.com for research and insights Connect with Host Ashley QuammePodcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme Beyond the Plan®: BeyondTheFP.comYouTube Channel: @BeyondthePlanSolutions

Text us to share what you found helpful!You know the feeling. A couple walks into your office and you ask about their goals. They say "security" and "freedom" in the same breath, and you're thinking... aren't those kind of opposites? Or a client tells you they value family connection, but their calendar tells a completely different story. These moments highlight something we don't talk about enough in financial planning: we're not just managing money, we're creating experiences around what matters most.Dr. Meghaan Lurtz returns to Planning & Beyond® for a special conversation about the work we've been doing behind the scenes at Beyond the Plan®. Instead of a traditional interview, Meg and I are pulling back the curtain on something we're calling the Five Core Domains framework: security and freedom, connection and relationship, growth and discovery, health and vitality, and impact and legacy.Here's what makes this different from other values-based approaches you've heard about. These domains aren't just conversation starters or discovery questions. They're the foundation for creating actual experiences with your clients. Because here's the thing advisors keep asking us: "Yeah, I get that I should talk about values, but what does that actually look like? How do I make that a thing?"That's exactly what we're addressing. Through this framework, you'll understand why security and freedom live in constant tension (and why that's not a problem to solve), how to spot when clients are seeking connection versus just checking boxes, and what it means to facilitate growth rather than just deliver advice. Meg brings her research expertise and I bring the therapeutic lens to break down how these domains show up in real client conversations.We're also sharing what's coming in 2026: client-facing tools that do the heavy lifting for you. Think structured experiences your clients can engage with before they come back to you, so you can spend your time facilitating meaning rather than extracting information. We're talking about things like guided money conversations for couples, values exercises that go deeper than typical discovery, and frameworks that help clients connect their daily decisions to what they say matters most.If you've ever felt like financial planning should be about more than optimizing portfolios and running projections, this conversation will give you language and structure for what you've been sensing all along. Listen in to discover how these five domains can transform the way you think about client relationships and the experiences you create in your practice.RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATIONConnect with Dr. Meghaan Lurtz:Substack: Less Lonely Money (monthly articles on money, relationships, and feelings)Free version: Public articles exploring financial psychology conceptsPaid version (for advisors): Includes client-facing newsletters, meeting flows, and discussion guidesLinkedIn: Dr. Meghaan LurtzWebsite: Beyond the Plan® - www.beyondthefp.comConnect with Host Ashley Quamme:Podcast Website: PlanningAndBeyond.comLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme Beyond the Plan®: www.beyondthefp.com Monthly Newsletter: Subscribe at BeyondTheFP.comYouTube: @BeyondthePlanSolutions

Text us to share what you found helpful!What happens when a client couple who's made remarkable progress hits an unexpected setback? In this real-time case consultation, financial planner Jim Grace and I work through exactly this scenario - a couple who went from financial stress to thriving, only to face a sudden income loss that threatens to derail their momentum.This isn't your typical podcast episode. You're getting a behind-the-scenes look at actual case consultation work between an advisor and financial behavior specialist. We explore what happens emotionally when clients regress to old patterns during stress, how advisors can navigate their own surprise and uncertainty in difficult moments, and practical strategies for helping couples get back on track without falling into old defensive cycles.If you've ever felt caught off guard by a client's sudden change in circumstances, or wondered how to address the emotional weight of setbacks without overstepping your role, this conversation gives you concrete tools. We discuss the power of "jumping into the well" with clients rather than just pointing to the ladder, recognizing when shame might be at play (and where your boundaries are), and helping couples remember they already have the blueprint for moving forward - they've done it before.Whether you work with a financial behavior specialist or not, you'll walk away with actionable approaches for your next challenging client meeting.Resources and Guest Information:Connect with Jim Grace:Website: modernfinancialwellness.comLinkedIn: Jim GraceInstagram: @modernfinancialwellnessPodcast: Modern Financial WellnessMentioned in this episode:Brené Brown's "Empathy vs. Sympathy" video on YouTubeBeyond the Plan® services for advisorsConnect with Host Ashley Quamme:Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration servicesNewsletter: Monthly insights on the human side of planning at beyondthefp.com

Text us to share what you found helpful!You've seen it happen: one partner takes notes while the other zones out. Tension surfaces when discussing spending. Only one person shows up to quarterly reviews. Sound familiar?This episode tackles the messy, emotional work of helping couples navigate money together. I sit down with Heather and Douglas Boneparth, authors of "Money Together," to explore why traditional financial planning often misses the mark with couples—and what you can do differently.We dive into the hard stuff: invisible labor that goes unvalued, career sacrifices that breed resentment, cultural and religious differences shaping financial decisions, and how mental health factors like ADHD impact financial engagement. This isn't about joint accounts versus separate accounts—it's about the power dynamics, contribution definitions, and deeply held beliefs that actually drive financial behavior.You'll learn how to spot warning signs that money conflicts are about something deeper, how to invite both partners into conversations without creating defensiveness, and when to refer to specialists. Heather shares a powerful insight from their research: couples where one partner earns less or no income consistently said they don't feel free to spend. Not because of budget constraints—because they've lost agency around money. That's not a communication problem. That's a power dynamic undermining every strategy you build.Whether you work primarily with couples or occasionally navigate partnership dynamics, this conversation equips you with frameworks for thinking differently about the human side of financial planning.RESOURCES AND GUEST INFORMATIONAbout Heather and Douglas Boneparth:Douglas Boneparth is a Certified Financial Planner with nearly two decades of experience and the founder of Bonafide Wealth. Heather Boneparth is a corporate attorney who brings a unique perspective on career transitions, power dynamics, and equity in relationships. Together, they are the authors of "Money Together: A Practical Guide to Navigating Money in Relationships."Connect with Heather and Douglas:Website: Do Money TogetherBook: Money TogetherConnect with Heather and Douglas on LinkedInNewsletter: The Joint AccountResources Mentioned in the Episode:"Fair Play" by Eve Rodsky - Documentary on HBOConnect with Host Ashley Quamme:Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration services

Text us to share what you found helpful!You've been to those conferences. Every speaker says "the key to success is asking great questions" - then they stop talking. Maybe they give you one or two magic phrases, but nobody teaches you how to actually have these conversations.In this episode, CFP Jeremy Keil breaks down motivational interviewing (MI) - a framework that transforms how advisors guide clients through financial decisions. Jeremy shares how he discovered MI through his wife (an elementary school counselor), invested in the training, and completely shifted his approach to client conversations. The result? Clients feel more empowered, make better decisions, and actually follow through on recommendations.We explore the OARS framework (Open-ended questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries) and why asking fewer questions often leads to better conversations. Jeremy shares real stories - including losing a life insurance client because he skipped the permission step, and helping a widowed client work through guilt about using life insurance proceeds for a family vacation.This isn't about adding more techniques to your toolkit - it's about fundamentally changing how you show up in client meetings. Whether you're navigating discovery conversations, helping clients through major transitions, or presenting recommendations, MI gives you a structure to meet clients where they are emotionally while still delivering the technical guidance they need.Jeremy explains how to balance the psychological depth of MI with the technical demands of financial planning, and how to guide conversations without interrogating clients. He also shares the surprisingly affordable training options available If you've ever felt like you're talking at clients instead of with them, or wondered why smart recommendations don't translate to action, this conversation provides the framework you've been missing.Resources and Guest Information:Connect with Jeremy Keil:Website: JeremyKeil.comBook: Retire Today: Create Your Retirement Master Plan in Five Simple Steps Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn Motivational Interviewing Resources:MotivationalInterviewing.org - Training directory for MI courses.Related Planning & Beyond Episodes:Episode 17 with Derek Hagan on Motivational InterviewingConnect with Host Ashley Quamme:Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration services

Text us to share what you found helpful!You can deliver perfect asset allocations and outperform benchmarks all day long, but here's what Marla Sofer, founder of Knomee, knows after 25 years in financial services: those are just table stakes. The real differentiator—the thing that determines whether a client gives you 10% of their portfolio or becomes all-in—is trust built on deep understanding of who they are and what they want for their future.Marla's journey from private banking to BlackRock to fintech revealed a critical gap in how we approach client relationships. We have incredible tools for portfolio management and financial projections, but we're missing the foundational data that makes any of it personally relevant: behavioral data about clients' values, motivations, attitudes, and the eight dimensions of their financial identity that actually answer the question "what financial product is right for you?"This episode tackles why traditional discovery approaches fall short and how advisors can gather meaningful behavioral data without overwhelming clients with lengthy questionnaires they won't complete. Marla shares how Knomee uses gamification and engagement strategies modeled after Noom, Duolingo, and Strava to achieve a 95%+ completion rate—because clients are learning about themselves, not just feeding information to their advisor.We dive into the practical application side: what to do once you have behavioral data, how to use AI to synthesize insights into conversation starters, and why existing clients need this depth of understanding just as much as prospects. Marla explains how behavioral data becomes the foundation for navigating life transitions, identifying what matters during market volatility, and proving you understand clients better than their own AI tools will.Perhaps most importantly, you'll learn how to position gathering behavioral data with existing clients without making them feel like you haven't been paying attention all these years. Because the reality is simple: the level of trust you build through truly knowing your clients is the only sustainable competitive advantage in a world where asset allocation can be automated.Resources and Guest Information:Knomee - Behavioral data infrastructure for financial advisorsKnomee Freemium Offer - RIAs can try Knomee free for one month with five clientsKnowing Me, Knowing You Podcast - Hosted by Marla Sofer, featuring futurists, financial therapists, and advisors discussing the emotional relationship with moneyConnect with Marla Sofer on LinkedInConnect with Host Ashley Quamme:Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration services

Text us to share what you found helpful!When clients miss meetings, avoid financial conversations, or struggle to follow through on planning recommendations, most advisors assume it's about motivation or priorities. Christine Hargrove, PhD and assistant director of the Love and Money Center at UGA, reveals why these behaviors often signal something entirely different: undiagnosed or unaddressed ADHD affecting how your clients process financial information and make money decisions.ADHD isn't just about distraction or impulsivity—it's a neurodevelopmental condition affecting 4-5% of adults that fundamentally changes how people experience time, process information, and connect with their future selves. Christine explains why traditional financial planning approaches built around long-term goals and future visualization often fall flat with ADHD clients, and shares specific strategies to make your planning process work with their brains instead of against them.You'll discover the emotional weight ADHD clients carry into money conversations—that deep sense of shame and feeling like they're the only adult who hasn't figured this out yet. Christine walks through the seven executive functions and explains which ones matter most for financial planning, giving you a framework to understand where your clients are actually struggling versus where you might be accidentally making things harder.This conversation goes beyond accommodation into true adaptation. Christine shares practical techniques like using visual aids effectively, externalizing working memory through strategic note-taking, and reframing future-focused questions to help ADHD clients actually connect with their financial goals. You'll also learn how to spot ADHD patterns in couples dynamics and why understanding both partners' neurological wiring can transform how you facilitate financial conversations.Resources and Guest Information:Christine Hargrove - Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Director, Love and Money Center at UGALove and Money Center at UGA - Providing financial therapy and planning servicesFinancial Therapy Association - Training and resources for financial therapy integrationConnect with Host Ashley Quamme:Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration services

Text us to share what you found helpful!Most financial advisors are solving the wrong problem. They're obsessing over lead generation when the real issue is lead conversion - and the psychology behind why prospects don't convert reveals everything about building genuine client relationships.Derek Notman, founder and CEO of Couplr, brings a unique perspective shaped by his early work at a residential treatment center with at-risk youth and his experience as a successful advisor who survived the brutal early years when nine out of ten advisors fail. He discovered that the same psychological principles that helped him build trust with teenagers who had been failed by every adult in their lives also hold the key to authentic lead conversion.The conversation reveals why traditional cold outreach methods don't just fail but they actively work against the psychological foundations of trust that financial relationships require. Derek explains how people are neurologically wired to connect with others who share commonalities, and why advisors who understand this can transform their conversion rates without changing their marketing budget.You'll discover the fundamental difference between lead generation and lead conversion, why most firms excel at the first but fail at the second, and practical strategies for creating the kind of authentic connection that makes prospects want to work with you. Derek also shares his "stop being a creeper, become a creator" philosophy and explains how advisors can use social media and content creation to build trust before they ever have a sales conversation.Key Takeaways:Focus on Lead Conversion, Not Lead Generation: Most advisors and firms actually do lead generation well - they create content, have good websites, and generate traffic. The breakdown happens in conversion. Instead of obsessing over more leads, audit your conversion process. What happens after someone shows interest? Does your follow-up process build trust or feel salesy?Leverage Commonalities for Instant Connection: People are neurologically wired to connect with others like them. Before your next prospect meeting, research shared interests, backgrounds, or experiences. Having even small commonalities creates the "I feel like I know you" effect that accelerates trust-building and shortens sales cycles.Give Prospects Control of the Process: Traditional advisor outreach puts all the power in the advisor's hands - you reach out, you follow up, you push for meetings. Flip this dynamic. Create ways for qualified prospects to reach out to you when they're ready. This shows high intent and creates warm inbound leads instead of defensive prospects.Stop Creeping, Start Creating: Instead of scrolling social media to find prospects to message, use that same time to create content that showcases who you are as a person. Share your interests, values, and personality. Let prospects get to know you before they ever contact you, so your first conversation feels familiar rather than foreign.Resources and Guest Information:Derek Notman - Founder & CEO of CouplrCouplr - White-label matching technology for financial advisorsRebl Dads - Community for entrepreneurial fathers (mentioned in episode)Connect with Host Ashley Quamme:Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond®LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration services

Text us to share what you found helpful!Military families represent one of the most unique and underserved populations in financial planning, bringing layers of psychological complexity that most advisors have never encountered. In this episode, Daniel Kopp, CFP® and military veteran, reveals why serving those who served requires a completely different approach to client relationships and financial planning conversations.Daniel shares the hidden psychological dynamics that shape how service members and veterans approach money, from the rugged self-reliance that can make them resistant to advice, to the identity loss that occurs during military-to-civilian transitions. You'll discover why traditional financial planning approaches often miss the mark with military clients and learn specific communication strategies that build trust with this population.We dive deep into the unique financial stressors military families face - from frequent relocations and deployment separations to the complex web of military benefits and pay structures. Daniel explains how trauma, whether from combat or challenging family backgrounds, shows up in financial decision-making and what advisors need to know to navigate these sensitive conversations effectively.Perhaps most importantly, you'll learn to recognize and address the common assumption pitfalls that can derail relationships with military couples, particularly around financial roles and decision-making dynamics that are often reversed from civilian norms.Resources and Guest Information:Military to Financial Planner Podcast - hosted by Daniel KoppMilitary Financial Advisors Association (MFAA) - collaborative community for advisors serving military familiesMilitary Qualified Financial Planner (MQFP) designation - learn more at mqfp.orgConnect with Daniel Kopp on LinkedInConnect with Host Ashley Quamme:Podcast Website: Planning & BeyondLinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior SpecialistBeyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration for advisory practices