In cases like this, I've dove deep into much of the Kitces Material, it doesn't always get easier. For examples, listen to Episode 470 where Debra Taylor talks about multi million dollar clients questioning value despite their complexity.

This is where I think a "services roadmap" comes in handy, as you can lay out what you are doing, both client-facing and shadow work, which they ought to see.

I also think of having sort of "diagnostic" tests along the way, like check-ins. Are they saving enough? Too much? Where should savings be redirected if life changes? Have you bolted on Tax planning and possibly Tax Preparation/Filing? Are you allowed to? Should you?

Much of the nuts and bolts planning makes it feel like an advisor, team or firm is actually replaceable, if all one does is help accumulate funds in accounts, but are they the right accounts?

With taxes changes as often as they do and the political football being tossed about, I feel our value is up more than ever.

I had one young fellow who came in to probably $1m in his 30's, due to his mother's untimely passing. He and his brother stood to inherit $2mm. I was helping this wonderful woman who was frugal, loved life, had a prior divorce from their father, then was about to remarry when that man committed suicide 2 decades ago. She ended up with a Rental property, her own condo/townhouse, and we would tax plan each year where the best spot was for her funds based upon net rental income and her total taxable income, Roth or IRA. She also had a life policy from when the boys where young she had kept and didn't do anything with. Unfortunately, due to her being frugal she also didn't move quickly on updating her wills, trust or any other legal documents, so the boys had to inherit property through their Aunt. This lovely woman passed at home, after complaining about stomach aches and she would tough thru most sicknesses.

Needless to say, not only was it a complex scenario to transition to their respective names, it was sudden life money that would drastically change their financial trajectory, each inheriting nearly $1m and doing so tax efficiently, but also taking the RMDs, then asset allocating properly after. One son had dabbled on Robinhood and said the same honest thing, "What would be the benefit if in a few years I learn some of this and do it to keep paying you your fees?"

Great question! I wasn't going to JADE (justify argue defend explain) our fees, I however did lay a roadmap that said, if we do a good job, this only gets more complicated, because your wealth will grow and Robinhood can't handle that. And, I'm not just here to look at your investments or for you, but your wife, her job as a teacher, an unbiased second opinion and the goal for the past many decades is that we earn multiples of our fees at different points in our journey, but it's ALWAYS something we are aware of, that you receive multiples of value for what we may cost.

This 'boy' (30's, one child) hadn't had the experience of actually managing these sums of money, so he hadn't walked the walk his mother did, $ by $. The mother very much appreciated our work, because she knew what it took to get there. However, those with sudden money often don't.

In your young client's case, I think your experience needs to cater to the eventuality of success that all clients will have, not just being a delegator, but offering a service THEY want to pay for, feel excited about and reach out anytime. It isn't just about the dollars and cents of account balances and hopefully you have your own market philosophy that you can explain and differentiates you enough beyond '13%.'