Looking Ahead to 2025: Resolutions for Experienced Financial Advisors

As we head into a new year, you’ll hear a lot about resolutions and how they can change your life, whether they are to improve your habits or how you run your practice. After reflecting on 2024, my resolution is to be a better coach and teacher. During my branch immersion experience last summer, I learned from so many individuals who took the time to invest in me and help me grow. It’s encouraged me to double down on my focus to coach team members and our next generation of talent.

For experienced financial advisors, the new year can be a time to think about goals and the ways you serve your clients. So, what should financial advisors expect in the coming year and how can you resolve to best support your clients?

I don’t have a crystal ball, but I can tell you this — client concerns in 2024 have not gone away and 2025 is sure to be bring change. To continue your success in the new year, you need to understand your clients’ challenges, stay informed and practice deep empathy.

Understand that Inflation is Still a Client Concern

Inflation remains a hot topic for clients across the income spectrum. Our recent poll showed that more than half of Americans said inflation was their main challenge to financial accountability this past year (55%). Roughly the same percentage told us that they anticipate inflation being the biggest challenge for staying financially accountable in 2025 (56%).

As financial advisors, you are uniquely positioned to provide clients with guidance for navigating inflation and economic changes. The same study showed us that half of Americans believe a financial advisor could help them stay accountable on their financial goals for the New Year. Because we can’t control the markets, this is where financial advisors can really deliver value.

You know it best — a relationship with a financial advisor can help clients stay accountable and well-informed as they pursue their financial goals. But to be successful in these relationships, financial advisors must connect deeply with their clients and acknowledge their very real concerns about high costs.

Stay Sharp on Market Changes

We don’t know what will happen in the coming year, but change is inevitable. If financial advisors are to keep their clients on-track, you must resolve to keep yourself up to date.

Are you staying on top of market changes? Or has your practice gotten so busy that it’s hard to keep up? Resolving to be in-the-know will help you be a better financial advisor and ultimately better serve your clients.

At Edward Jones, our financial advisors have access to educational tools to help them keep a finger on the pulse of relevant topics and the latest market changes. Resources like our strategist one-pagers and market weekly wrap reports help them stay on top of the market changes to enable them to quickly council their clients with confidence.

Practice Empathy

It can be easy to focus your resolutions on numbers, but you can’t forget the human side of your practice. The relationships you have with your clients should give you professional purpose and those relationships are also the foundation of your success. Making time to listen to your clients with empathy is how to you can build successful long-term relationships.

Every financial advisor should resolve to have more empathy in 2025, but you should also take a look at your practice to see if you are set-up to do this successfully.

Ask yourself if you have the support you need to prioritize the needs of clients. Do you have the freedom to build a practice that is client-centered?

Our ownership structure gives Edward Jones financial advisors the flexibility to choose how they build and run their practices. What’s more, dedicated support resources are available to help you free up capacity so you can put clients first.

I’m excited for a fresh start in the new year and will be sure to report back on how my resolution to be a better coach comes to life. As you think about what 2025 holds for your practice, remember that listening, learning and being empathetic will positively contribute to any resolution you set.

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