Vanilla Starter is designed for advisors new to offering estate planning services, typically at solo-practices or small advisory firms that predominantly serve mass affluent (less than $1M in total investable assets) clients.

Estate planning software helps financial advisors, lawyers, and individuals analyze existing estate plans, identify gaps, calculate potential federal and state estate tax liabilities, and create new planning documents such as trust, wills, power of attorney, and healthcare directives. It can automate many of the manual tasks involved in estate planning, such as drafting documents, calculating taxes and waterfalls, and building visualizations to explain how the plan works.

Advisors need estate planning software because it can help them:

• Provide better service to their clients by helping them create comprehensive and effective estate plans.
• Understand their clients balance sheet and total net-worth.
• Create a deeper connection to the client and their goals.
• Retain assets by creating a connection with the second generation.
• Estate planning software can help advisors educate clients about estate planning and build trust and rapport through using a modern, interactive experience.

Vanilla Starter is focused primarily on document creation and is accessed through a simplified dashboard interface. While built on the same technology foundation as our comprehensive platform, it provides streamlined functionality including document creation, Estate Health Check, and planning calculators. Advisors cannot access client estate profiles, create visual summaries, or use AI features and what-if planning tools that are available in the full platform – keeping the experience simple and focused on helping advisors launch estate planning services.

Vanilla Starter includes access to in-app training, online resources, and customer support through the platform and help@justvanilla.com email support.

Vanilla Starter utilizes the same enterprise-grade security controls as our full platform, including encryption, access controls, and compliance with industry standards. Your client data is protected with institutional-level security measures. More information on our security and compliance program can be found here.

Yes, Vanilla Starter provides a clear upgrade path to our comprehensive platform as your practice grows or your client needs become more complex. All client data and work can be seamlessly transferred during the upgrade process. Contact us here to learn more.

Vanilla Starter is designed as a streamlined, self-service product, so it does not include a dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM) like our comprehensive Vanilla Advisor platform.

However, you’ll still have access to:

• In-app guidance and training to help you navigate the platform
• Vanilla Knowledge Base with articles, tutorials, and best practices
• Email support at help@justvanilla.com for technical questions and assistance
• Getting Started resources including video walkthroughs and the launch package with marketing materials

Our comprehensive Vanilla Advisor platform includes a dedicated CSM, priority email support, and access to Vanilla Academy. If you find you need more hands-on support as your estate planning practice grows, you can easily upgrade to our full platform. Contact us here to learn more about upgrading.

Your Vanilla Starter account will be ready within 1-2 business days after purchase. We need to verify your advisor credentials using your CRD number before provisioning your account. You’ll receive an immediate payment confirmation, then a separate email to create your login once verification is complete and your account is set up. In the meantime, check out our Getting Started Guide to see Vanilla Starter in action.

Vanilla Starter is designed exclusively for licensed financial advisors. We verify all CRD numbers through FINRA’s BrokerCheck to ensure our platform is being used by qualified professionals. This helps us maintain the integrity of our platform and ensures compliance with industry standards.