Vanilla 2025 State of Estate Planning Report

The emerging trends and sentiments advisors need to know for the coming year

The State of Estate Planning Report, newly released for 2025, is a window into consumers’ wants, needs, and expectations for advisors and other financial professionals.  

Each year, Vanilla surveys 1,000 people in the US to identify the emerging trends and sentiments advisors need to know to successfully guide intimate estate planning conversations with clients. 

Some of this year’s key findings include: 

• The vast majority (80%) expect estate planning to be incorporated into their financial advisor’s offering
• Over half (60%) are skeptical their advisor can outperform the market
• Most people (80%) say they’d be comfortable with their advisor using AI to draft estate plans

The 2025 report highlights key consumer sentiments around topics like holistic financial planning, fee structures, family values, technology’s (and specifically AI’s) growing role in estate planning, and more. 

In this year’s State of Estate Planning report, you’ll find emerging consumer trends, outlooks on industry shifts, and opportunities for advisors to stay ahead of the curve.

Click here to see the full, un-gated report.