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For many wealth advisors, philanthropy has evolved from an occasional conversation into an essential component of holistic client advice. According to the latest TPI Study of the Philanthropic Conversation, 99% of advisors said that discussing philanthropy with clients is important, and 96% described it as part of their professional obligation.
That represents remarkable progress. Just over a decade ago, philanthropic discussions were far from routine, yet today they have become an integral part of client relationships. However, while advisors have embraced the importance of these discussions, client expectations have become increasingly specialized.
As charitable planning has become more sophisticated, the conversation has evolved. There’s no question that philanthropy belongs in the advisory relationship these days. Now, the focus is on ensuring clients have access to the right expertise at the right time, so charitable goals can turn into a concrete philanthropic plan.
Clients Are Asking for More Specialized Expertise
High-net-worth (HNW) clients are becoming more strategic with their charitable goals, thinking beyond annual donations and tax deductions to questions of family legacy, multigenerational engagement, and lasting social impact. As those ambitions grow, many advisors find that some client needs extend beyond their own expertise. The TPI research showed that in 2025, 38% of HNW clients said they needed philanthropic advice that exceeded their advisor's knowledge — more than double the share in 2018 — and 87% of them were referred to a specialist.
Clients now expect that step. Eighty percent say they want to be introduced to a specialist when their needs go beyond their advisor's expertise, up from just 59% seven years earlier.
The research also highlights why specialist support matters, as advisors and clients are not always aligned on philanthropic motivations. More than half of advisors believe clients’ main motivation to give is to inspire others, while only about a quarter of clients name that as a major motivation. Advisors bring deep expertise to financial planning, but charitable giving is often rooted in personal values and family dynamics that benefit from specialized guidance.
Taken together, the data make the demand for specialized philanthropic guidance clear, and that demand is only growing. Meeting it does not require an advisor to master every dimension of giving. It requires having the judgment to see when a client’s charitable goals call for a specialist and to bring one into the conversation.
Stronger Together
Bringing in outside help does not diminish an advisor's value. If anything, philanthropic fluency has become a distinct advantage. Seventy-five percent of clients say they are more likely to choose an advisor who is knowledgeable about philanthropy, up sharply from 40% in 2018.
Additionally, 71% place greater value on advice from advisors who are personally philanthropic, compared with 53% seven years earlier. Clients also want their advisor to be involved. Nearly three-quarters believe advisors should play an important role in their charitable efforts.
The data do not force a choice between the two. Clients value advisors who are knowledgeable about philanthropy as well as those who collaborate with philanthropic specialists when deeper expertise is needed. Advisors who coordinate deliberately with specialists, rather than working around them, are best positioned to meet those expectations.
Putting It Into Practice
Acting on this is more straightforward than it may seem, and it begins with timing. Although the first meeting is rarely the right moment, advisors should raise the topic of philanthropy early in the relationship and make it clear to their clients that philanthropic giving has a place in the full financial picture. Advisors and clients tend to agree, with 68% of advisors and 56% of clients saying the conversation works best after the first few meetings, once trust and a clearer sense of the client's goals have been established.
How the topic is introduced matters just as much. The most productive discussions start with values, not tax strategy. Advisors often overestimate how much taxes drive clients’ giving, citing tax benefits as a primary motivation 40% of the time, while only 21% of clients say the same. When the discussion begins with what a client truly cares about, the giving plan becomes more strategic and impactful.
When the time comes, introduce the specialist as an extension of the advisor's team rather than a handoff. Positioned this way, the specialist adds depth without disrupting the relationship. The advisor stays at the center of the client's overall financial life, guiding the strategy, while a trusted expert strengthens a discrete but meaningful part of it.
The Business Case Is Clear
The payoff for getting the philanthropic conversation right reaches well beyond any single discussion. Advisors consistently say it strengthens their business, with 92% reporting it helps establish new client relationships, 88% saying it deepens existing ones, and 95% saying it builds connections across their clients' extended families. Those family relationships are especially important because they create opportunities for advisors to engage the next generation around shared values, legacy, and long-term giving.
Clients do not need their advisor to know everything about philanthropy. They need an advisor who knows when to bring in the right expertise, and how to integrate it into the conversation at the right moment. That judgment, more than having every answer, is what earns a client's lasting trust.
Gillian Howell is Senior Vice President of Client Success at Foundation Source.
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Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.
