The Call You’ve Already Gotten (and the One That’s Coming Again)

You’ve heard this voice before.
A long-time client calls in March — not to ask about a 1099, but about their mom.

“She fell last week.”
“We don’t know what to do.”
“They’re saying she might need a home.”

And now this client — your tax client — is suddenly asking about Medicaid, home-care costs, caregiver pay, selling the family house… all while trying to hold their own life together.

There’s no “line item” on their tax return for panic. But that’s what this is.

Why Family Advisory Matters Right Now

Let’s be honest: the tax return is where most family stories show up after the fact.
You see the home sale, the medical bills, the shift from “head of household” to “single.”

Family Advisory is about changing when you show up — not just what you do.

Instead of reacting to financial chaos, you’re helping clients plan before the storm:

• Before the fall.
  
• Before the move to assisted living.
  
• Before the “what do we do with Mom’s house?” conversation.
  

It’s the difference between being the person who files the paperwork and the person who changes the outcome.

What “Family Advisory” Really Is

It’s not elder law. It’s not estate planning. It’s not therapy.
It’s advisory for real life — the point where money, taxes, and family collide.

At its core, Family Advisory means helping clients think ahead about:

• How they’ll care for aging parents without draining retirement accounts.
  
• Who can be paid as a caregiver (and how to do it legally).
  
• When home modifications or medical expenses become tax-deductible.
  
• How to coordinate across siblings and document it all correctly.
  

It’s proactive, compassionate, and full of the kind of conversations most firms aren’t having yet — but soon will be.

The Demographic Wave You Can’t Ignore

Every single day, 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65.
And their adult children? They’re your clients — and they’re overwhelmed.

They’re navigating insurance, home care, estate planning, taxes, payroll, and guilt. Lots of guilt.

They’re Googling things like “Can I get paid to care for my mom?” or “Do I need to report this?”

And most of the answers they find are confusing, incomplete, or wrong.

That’s where you — the tax pro who actually understands money and humanity — can step in.

How to Build a Family Advisory Offering That Feels Real

1. Start by Owning the Role of “Family CFO.”

You’re not just the person who files returns — you’re the one who connects the dots.
When a client says, “We’re helping Dad stay home,” you don’t hear a story about health care. You hear a story about taxes, payroll, cash flow, and compassion.

That’s your lane.

2. Build a Conversation Framework.

Add one question to every review meeting:

“How are your parents doing?”

That’s it. That’s the door opener.

Behind it lies a conversation about caregiving, home care, property transfers, and tax implications — all wrapped in empathy.

3. Create Simple Education Touchpoints.

Don’t overcomplicate it.
Post a blog titled “What Families Need to Know Before Paying a Caregiver.”
Include a short explainer in your newsletter: “Elder care costs can be deductible — here’s when.”

Those little nudges position you as the professional who sees what’s coming before clients do.

4. Turn Conversations Into a Repeatable Service.

Offer something like a Family Planning Review — a one-hour session to review care costs, payroll, and deductions for aging parents.

You can bundle it into existing advisory packages or offer it seasonally.
It’s not about the one-off consult; it’s about creating a system for the moments clients never forget.

5. Automate the Education Layer.

Use MAX inside CountingWorks PRO to automate the content, newsletters, and outreach that start these conversations year-round.
That way, when a client’s mom takes a fall or their dad moves in, you’ve already been there — in their inbox, in their head, and in their trust circle.

Why This Matters for Growth

Family Advisory isn’t just a feel-good service — it’s a growth engine.

You’re adding value in a space where few pros operate. You’re strengthening multi-generational relationships. You’re building trust that outlives one tax season.

And that means:

• Higher lifetime client value.
  
• More referrals (“You have to talk to my accountant — they helped us with Dad’s care plan.”)
  
• Differentiation that no cookie-cutter firm can replicate.
  

In an era of AI prep tools and one-click returns, empathy is your edge.

The Real Why

Every family will face this story at some point.

Someone will fall. Someone will forget. Someone will say, “I don’t know what to do.”

And when that happens, they’re not going to call their investment advisor. They’re going to call you.

Because you were the one who asked the right question before anyone else did.

That’s what Family Advisory is really about.
Not more work — more impact.

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CountingWorks PRO and MAX can help your firm build, automate, and scale Family Advisory content — so you’re the first call when your clients’ families need real-world guidance, not just tax prep.

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