Our ‘In Focus’ campaign this month explores how younger generations are reshaping the advice landscape, from where they turn for financial guidance to the expectations, priorities and behaviours advisers need to understand.
Celeste Leverton, principal of SJP Partner Practice Leverton Wealth Partners, highlights the case for engaging clients earlier, before significant wealth has fully built or passed between generations.
Financial advice has traditionally been structured around the presence of wealth. Increasingly, that feels out of step with how clients are building their lives today.
With over £5 trillion expected to pass between generations in the UK in the coming decades (Office for National Statistics, 2023)[1], many of those who will shape that wealth are already making complex financial decisions long before it reaches them. Having spent close to a decade advising high-net-worth individuals and now working closely with entrepreneurs and emerging wealth creators, and as a relatively young adviser myself, I have seen that the need for thoughtful advice begins much earlier than is often assumed.
From Asset Management to Life Strategy
Younger clients are rarely short of decisions but are often looking for clarity. Career progression, student loans, property, entrepreneurship and family planning overlap in ways that are not always straightforward to navigate.
Cash flow modelling can be particularly powerful at this stage. It allows clients to see how decisions made today shape future options, whether that is pension contributions or time away from work. It brings structure to what can otherwise feel abstract and shifts advice towards helping clients make confident, informed decisions.
Delivering Advice in a Changing Landscape
How advice is delivered is just as important as the advice itself. Younger clients value flexibility and a more natural integration into their lives, whether that is meeting for Reformer Pilates, over a matcha, or even at a TikTok-trending pop-up rather than across a boardroom table.
The broader ecosystem around the client also plays an important role. A strong network of introducers and aligned professionals creates a more cohesive experience. In my own practice, many of these relationships are with entrepreneurial women who understand this client base intuitively, creating a sense of ease across every interaction.
At the same time, the rise of digital platforms and AI has created a paradox of choice. Clients have more access to information than ever but are increasingly looking for judgement and clarity. From a personal perspective, this shift has also made it more feasible for me to establish my own practice at 28, something that would have been far more difficult historically.
Identifying Value Where it is Often Overlooked
Among high-earning young professionals, there is often a disconnect between income and structure. Strong salaries can mask underfunded pensions, limited protection and deferred planning.
A focused review of these areas can deliver immediate value. Pension contributions, tax efficiency and appropriate protection are rarely the most visible parts of advice but are often the most important. Student loans also deserve more careful consideration, particularly for higher earners, whose repayments can rise exponentially as their careers progress.
I also work with individuals at points of transition, whether stepping away from corporate roles to pursue their own ventures, or returning to more structured careers. These decisions are as personal as they are financial. Cash flow modelling helps bring clarity by mapping out scenarios and giving clients a clearer sense of risk and timing.
Supporting Entrepreneurs Through Their Growth Story
I strongly believe that emerging entrepreneurs remain one of the most underserved groups. Many are building significant value within their businesses yet fall below the thresholds of traditional private banks.
They may often only become engaged close to a liquidity event, by which point much of the earlier planning opportunity has been missed. Building relationships earlier allows advice to evolve alongside the business and, importantly, creates continuity through what is often a long and unpredictable journey for founders.
In practice, this means structuring pension contributions through the business, putting appropriate protection in place and modelling different exit scenarios. It also requires an understanding of founder behaviour. Many prioritise growth and reinvestment, often overlooking core personal planning. with ISA allowances going unused, pensions deprioritised and protection largely absent altogether.
When individuals leave employment, they also lose benefits such as income protection and death-in-service, which are not always replaced. In reality, they remain closely tied to the success of the business, making resilience planning essential.
Planning for Life Before Wealth
Demonstrating value early also means engaging with areas often seen as something to address later. Wills and powers of attorney are a good example. While they may not feel immediately relevant, thoughtful structuring early can avoid unnecessary complexity, particularly when drafted with flexibility, such as referencing a future spouse or children.
This is also where multi-generational planning becomes relevant. Many younger clients will go on to inherit wealth, and I often advise across generations, helping families think cohesively rather than in silos. Supporting clients early allows for better alignment as wealth begins to transition.
Looking Ahead
Clients often described as “next generation” are not a future opportunity. They are already shaping the market today. For advisers, this means demonstrating value earlier, in a way that reflects the realities of clients’ lives.
In an increasingly digital world, the role of trusted, relationship-led advice becomes more important, not less.
By Celeste Leverton, Principal of SJP Partner Practice Leverton Wealth Partners
[1] Office for National Statistics (ONS), 2023. Intergenerational wealth transfer, Great Britain: 2018 to 2020. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/articles/intergenerationalwealthtransfergreatbritain/2018to2020 (Accessed: 15 April 2026).
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