Step 1
Decide what you can say before you say anything.
An announcement communicates a decision. It cannot, by itself, create confidence in a new relationship.
Before you tell clients about a change, prepare the explanation, the named contacts, and how questions will be handled.
Coordinate with your firm, compliance team and advisers. Confirm what is final, what is still proposed, and what clients will need to decide or complete. Do not describe paperwork or consent requirements as settled before they are confirmed.
Step 2
Five moments that make or break the handoff.
| Moment | Purpose | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Before communication | Establish what can be said accurately | Confirm service responsibilities, approved language and required notices |
| Personal introduction | Explain the reason and the people involved | Agree who leads the conversation and who answers each question |
| Joint meeting | Let the client evaluate the new relationship | Discuss priorities, upcoming decisions and the proposed service |
| Administrative transition | Complete the required actions | Track agreements, instructions, questions and responsible staff |
| Follow-through | Confirm the client knows where to turn | Resolve open items and confirm contact and service arrangements |
The right timing depends on the practice and the transaction. This is a planning framework, not a universal schedule or a guarantee of retention.
Step 3
Make the joint meeting about them, not the buyer.
- Explain your planned role and the proposed timing in plain language.
- Introduce the person who would lead the relationship, and the team providing coverage.
- Invite the client to describe the decisions and worries they want the new advisor to understand.
- Explain established changes to fees, custody, investments, meetings and communication.
- Name the decisions still open, the documents required, and who follows up.
What not to say
- “Nothing will change.” Explain the specific changes instead.
- Anything implying the successor is final when it is not.
- A recital of the buyer’s credentials in place of a real conversation.
- “Just sign here.” Uncertainty is not a paperwork problem.
Step 4
Words to start the conversation.
“I want to talk with you about my plans to step back and introduce the person I am considering to serve you. Before you make any decision, we should discuss what would change, what support you need, and the questions you want answered.”
This is illustrative wording for discussion with your firm, not a ready-to-send announcement. Adapt it to the actual stage of the arrangement, applicable requirements, and approved communications. Do not imply a client has agreed or a successor is final when that is not true.
Before the first introduction
Six things to have ready.
Client transition planning worksheet
Check what you have prepared. Add practice-level notes only; do not enter client names or confidential information. Nothing is sent or saved. Reloading clears your answers.
Questions about client communication
Should every client get the same announcement?
Core facts should be accurate and consistent. The communication method and amount of personal discussion can reflect relationship needs, subject to firm procedures and requirements.
Can I promise nothing will change?
Only make statements supported by the actual arrangements. It is more useful to explain specific changes and responsibilities than to offer an assurance that may not hold.
How do we handle clients who are uncertain?
Give them clear information, appropriate contacts, and room to ask questions. Track concerns and respect their choices; do not treat uncertainty as a paperwork problem.
Sources & scope
Morrowgate Private Wealth · October 23, 2026. These resources provide background; they do not endorse Morrowgate or establish the terms of any arrangement.
Worksheets, examples, and discussion prompts are educational preparation aids. Apply the requirements relevant to your business model with your firm and independent advisers.
Before you tell clients
Plan the handoff your clients will experience.
One private conversation about your clients’ needs and what a successor would have to deliver. No client names or records. Full disclosure: Morrowgate may want to be that successor. If your clients would be better served elsewhere, you will hear it from us first.
Plan the handoff with us →Published by Morrowgate Private Wealth. Editorial standards. Educational preparation, not an appraisal or transaction advice.