Philanthropic Planning Emerges as Wealth Management Battleground as 80% of HNW Clients Expect Advisor Guidance
Updated
Updated · InvestmentNews · Jul 31
Philanthropic Planning Emerges as Wealth Management Battleground as 80% of HNW Clients Expect Advisor Guidance
1 articles · Updated · InvestmentNews · Jul 31
Summary
Only 45% of advisors discuss philanthropy with most clients, even though 80% of high-net-worth clients say advisors should raise it and 99% of advisors say those conversations matter.
Sabrina Bailey, who became Foundation Source president in March 2026, says the shortfall is an infrastructure problem: advisors need integrated technology, operational support and specialist expertise to deliver charitable planning at scale.
Bailey argues the opportunity now extends beyond donor-advised funds to private foundations and charitable trusts, with advisors expected to match structures to tax, estate, family and giving goals rather than push a single product.
The business case is strengthening: 75% of wealthy clients say they would be more likely to choose an advisor knowledgeable about philanthropy, up from 40% in 2018, while 95% of advisors see giving as a way to engage heirs.
Foundation Source says it facilitated more than $4 billion in grants in 2025 and is betting that 'PhilTech' embedded in advisors' existing workflows will become the next competitive edge in wealth management.
With advisors scrambling to adopt philanthropic tools, will the true art of personal giving be lost to automated algorithms and tax optimization?
Could the rise of PhilTech secretly be wealth management's ultimate strategy for locking in multigenerational assets rather than maximizing charitable impact?
Why are wealthy families increasingly leveraging complex charitable vehicles as a tool for family governance rather than just traditional giving?