As we celebrate our 50th year as an independent organization, we’re repeatedly asked one question by the financial professionals we serve: What’s the secret to longevity?
In an industry that’s constantly evolving—and accelerating even faster over the past decade with emerging technology—building a practice that stands the test of time is more challenging than ever.
So how do you build an independent advisory practice that’s designed not just to grow, but to last?
Here are our answers, shaped by 50 years of working alongside financial professionals through change.
How Have Client Expectations Changed Over Time?
One of the clearest indicators of a long-lasting advisory practice is the ability to adapt as client expectations evolve over time. Today, clients expect advisors to address their entire financial household, not just investments or insurance.
As more advisors offer similar core services, use comparable platforms, and follow the same investment philosophies, it can feel, from a client’s perspective, like “everyone does the same thing.”
Now, clients want an advisor who understands the full picture of their lives and offers services across:
- Tax strategies
- Estate planning
- Care planning
- Education funding
- Business ownership strategies
- Housing decisions
The secret to longevity is understanding client expectations, even as they evolve, and doing what it takes to exceed them. The advisors who do that are the ones who will build stronger, lasting relationships and attract more clients.
Why Aren’t Products Alone Enough Anymore?
In short, client expectations have changed because client needs have changed.
Today’s clients are more informed, more connected, and navigate a far more complex financial landscape than previous generations. Longer lifespans, rising long-term care costs, economic uncertainty, tax complexity, and an expanding number of financial options have all raised the stakes of financial decision-making.
As a result, clients are no longer looking for standalone solutions. They’re looking for guidance on:
- How everything in their plan fits together
- How their decisions today could affect outcomes tomorrow
- How to navigate trade-offs across competing priorities
Advisors who shift from product-centric conversations to solution-driven planning are the ones who will stand out to clients, receive more referrals, and build a practice that lasts through the decades.
What Role Does Adaptability Play in Advisor Longevity?
Adaptability is one of the most consistent predictors of long-term success in the advisory space.
Technology and marketing trends continue to evolve, and in fact, today’s clients often begin their decision-making journey long before the first conversation ever happens.
96% of individuals will conduct research online before choosing an advisor.
Wealthtender
This statistic underscores the importance of a strong digital presence. An advisor who’s embracing their social media accounts, messaging, and keeping a modern website with client reviews is the one who will stand out as being adaptable and future-focused.
Another important finding from this study: one-third of Americans say an advisor’s physical location doesn’t matter, as they prefer to meet exclusively online.
This is a massive shift from preferences even five years ago, and places greater emphasis on modern technology, seamless virtual experiences, and tools that support remote planning and communication.
Related: 2026 Marketing Strategies for Financial Advisors: 5 High-Impact Tactics for Independent Firms
Why Does Choosing the Right IMO Partner Matter Long Term?
Choosing the right partner is one of the most important decisions an independent financial advisor will make. The right partnership supports long-term growth, operational stability, and the ability to adapt as client expectations and the industry continues to evolve.
A strong long-term partner helps advisors:
- Maintain consistency through change by remaining stable across market cycles, regulatory updates, and industry shifts
- Expand beyond a single solution or specialty by providing access to advanced planning support, technology, marketing, and back-office resources as client needs become more complex
- Scale without rebuilding infrastructure by enabling growth through integrated services rather than disconnected tools or one-off solutions
- Grow intentionally, not reactively, by helping advisors identify which services align with their clients’ goals and stage of growth
When Should Advisors Invest in New Capabilities—and When Should They Wait?
One of the hardest decisions for independent financial advisors isn’t whether to evolve, it’s when. Move too early, and you risk adding complexity before it’s needed. Wait too long, and you may find yourself reacting instead of leading.
A helpful way to think about capability investments is to watch for pressure points instead of trends. Specifically, is there an area in your client’s portfolio that you don’t currently have the infrastructure to offer guidance on, but would enhance value for them? Is there a task or role that’s currently taking up valuable time that could be automated, outsourced, or hired for?
In contrast, it may be time to wait when new tools or services don’t clearly connect back to client needs. The most durable practices approach new capabilities with intention.
They ask:
- Will this improve the client’s experience or outcomes?
- Will this create capacity or reduce complexity?
- Does this align with where we want the practice to be in five or ten years?
Longevity is built by adopting the right solutions at the right time.
Related: End the Onboarding Nightmare: How to Get Faster, Happier Client Starts
How Should Advisors Think About Succession and Continuity?
The most enduring advisory practices think about continuity early, even if an exit is decades away.
At its core, succession planning is about protecting clients and preserving value. Clients want reassurance that their advisor’s practice will continue to serve them well, regardless of life events or leadership transitions. Advisors who address continuity proactively build confidence and trust long before it’s required.
Early succession planning doesn’t have to include a finalized exit plan. Instead, it can just start with simple questions:
- Who else understands my clients and my planning philosophy?
- Is my practice transferable, or is it entirely dependent on me?
- Do my systems, documentation, and processes support continuity?
How Can Advisors Build Practices to Last for Decades?
Ultimately, building longevity begins with a clear sense of purpose. Advisors who build practices that last know why they do what they do and use that mission as a guide through change.
At Financial Independence Group, we trace our own longevity back to that same principle. Founded in 1976, we were built on a simple yet powerful mission: to empower financial professionals to simplify and execute the financial dreams of families worldwide.
On left: Bill and Ericka Cain, founders of FIG.
On right: The original FIG office, where the company started in 1976.
Over the past 50 years, the industry has undergone significant changes. Products have evolved. Technology has advanced. Client expectations have expanded. Through it all, we’ve grown, adapted, and expanded our capabilities so advisors don’t have to choose between staying independent and having access to the resources they need to scale.
Today, that mission is carried forward by more than 200 team members who support advisors with the planning expertise, technology, operational support, and strategic guidance needed to build durable, future-ready practices. Not just for today’s clients, but for the decades ahead.
If you’re looking for a consistent, trusted partner with five decades of experience helping independent advisors grow, evolve, and remain independent, we’d welcome the opportunity to support what you’re building next.
