Vanilla

Apr 18, 2023

5 min

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Vanilla Launches First Fully-Integrated Estate Advisory Platform

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 18, 2023 

Vanilla, a leading provider of estate planning solutions, today announced the launch of its new Estate Advisory Platform, the first fully integrated model of an estate, bringing together family, financial, and estate planning data into one place. 

The Vanilla Estate Advisory Platform

The Vanilla Estate Advisory Platform offers dynamic visualizations of the estate, beneficiary summary and projections, estate tax projections, a dynamic balance sheet integrated with the leading personal finance management tools, and an on-demand report builder. With these features, financial advisors can deliver differentiated advice, expand client relationships, win new business, and better illustrate their ongoing value. Firms including Vanguard, Mariner Wealth Advisors, Balentine, and Avantax are using Vanilla to help their advisors deliver a differentiated estate planning offering at scale.

One of the key new features of the Vanilla Estate Advisory Platform is estate Projections. Previously, Vanilla helped advisors show their clients a snapshot of their estate, including their tax liabilities at the present time. The new Projections feature gives advisors the ability to input rates of return and time frames to project beneficiary flows and estate taxes to drive a bigger-picture conversation with their clients around the impact of their legacy.

“We’re thrilled to introduce a platform that will help redefine estate planning by modernizing the way advisors help clients build their legacy,”  said Gene Farrell, CEO of Vanilla. “By simplifying the complex process of estate planning and helping clients understand how their legacy will benefit their heirs and community, advisors can deepen client relationships and connect to the next generation.” 

 

“We’re thrilled to introduce a platform that will help redefine estate planning by modernizing the way advisors help clients build their legacy”
— GENE FARRELL, CEO OF VANILLA

Supporting Advisors with Vanilla Academy

The platform updates are accompanied by the all-new Vanilla Academy, which includes on-demand courses led by industry experts. Vanilla Academy provides educational resources on modern estate planning, ranging from core concepts to advanced strategies. In order to capture the advisor and attorney perspectives, Vanilla tapped attorney Stephen Wallace, Partner at Accelerant Law, and Dominic Cozzetto, Senior Advisor at AdvicePeriod, as its first instructors. Vanilla Academy will feature more experts for future lessons, including advisors, trust & estate attorneys, behavioral psychologists, and other professionals who can help financial professionals navigate difficult conversations with their clients. 

“Estate planning is the last frontier of wealth management,” said Steve Lockshin, founder of Vanilla and long-time advisor. “We envision a world where advisors can confidently guide their clients through estate planning, using technology and an easy-to-comprehend design to help people better understand the strategies that will maximize the impact of their life’s work.”

Vanilla was founded in 2019, bringing together innovative technology, design, and industry-leading wealth transfer strategies.

“Financial advisors are perfectly positioned to help clients craft a holistic wealth strategy, but until now, they haven’t had the tools to provide comprehensive estate planning at scale,” said Farrell. “With this launch, we’re giving them a single source of truth – combining family, financial, and estate plan details – while automating the complexities of estate planning in a highly-visual way that’s easy for both advisor and client to understand.”

Visit Vanilla Academy today and explore Vanilla’s resource center for educational content and client-facing materials on estate planning. To learn more about Vanilla’s new Estate Advisory platform, register for Legacy Now, a live, virtual launch event.

About Vanilla

Vanilla is a leading provider of estate planning solutions. The company is transforming legacy estate planning into a modern, easy-to-use experience that turns complex documents into an ongoing conversation. With a complete picture of their client’s estate and deeper understanding of their ultimate goals, advisors can deliver differentiated advice, expand their client relationships, win new business, and increase their ongoing value. Learn more about Vanilla at justvanilla.com. 

Media Inquiries: press@justvanilla.com