Forum Discussion
AMA: We’re Dela Dzadey and Lana Graham, paraplanning and Xtools experts, Ask Us Anything!
dela.dzadey in your latest piece, you talked about the increasing demand paraplanning services and how external paraplanners have "never been busier". What would you say is the primary contributing factor here? Is it just the increasing complexity of the advice proposition? Or are planners leaning more on paraplanning support so as to scale up their operations? Or both/neither?
Thanks Alex, great question! There are definitely some 'complex' areas of advice that we paraplanners so more frequently than advisers, so they do lean on us to have that expertise. We are however, finding that the increase in demand for paraplanning services is across all complexities and even review documents. Most advisers i speak to feel that their time is being drained by many areas that aren't client facing (administration, research, ongoing services, compliance). They want to have a trusted partner that can handle the bulk of this for them, while they can focus on seeing clients. Experienced paraplanners give the advisers confidence that strategy discussions and research of products can be done in a time efficient and compliant manner. That then frees up the adviser's time to see more clients - leading to more advice and work for the paraplanners too!