Death, disability, lawsuits: The 8 life events financial advisers say clients are least prepared for
January 23, 2026
Americans are often ill-prepared for life’s toughest moments — including death and health calamities. For example, fewer than one in three American adults have a will and just 11% have a trust, according to a survey from Trust & Will. And these aren’t the only things we’re not prepared for.
We asked eight finance pros what events their clients are least prepared to encounter — and what to do about each. In many cases, the experts we spoke to said Americans could benefit from both estate planning attorneys and financial advisers to get these things in order. You can find a financial adviser using CFP Board, NAPFA or this free tool that matches you to fiduciary advisers from our ad partner SmartAsset; you can find estate planning attorneys through the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) or through the Martindale-Hubbell directory.
