There are calls advisors hope they never receive—but increasingly, they are becoming part of the landscape of wealth management.
A family member, often a spouse or adult child, contacts you urgently. They are concerned that the client can no longer manage their finances, is making unclear or inconsistent decisions, or is giving instructions that seem out of character. At the same time, the client may still be calling, giving direction, or insisting that everything is fine.
This situation is not theoretical; it is a live conflict between apparent authority and emerging incapacity, and how it is handled can determine both client outcomes and advisor risk exposure.
The Dual-Directive Problem
In these situations, advisors are often receiving conflicting instructions:
- The client continues to give directions.
- The family reports declining capacity or imminent harm risk.
In this dual-directive environment, normal decision-making no longer feels sufficient. The key objective is no longer routine portfolio management but stabilization, documentation, and controlled transition of authority where appropriate.
Immediate Steps Advisors Should Take
When this situation arises, a structured response is essential:
- Document observable behavior, not conclusions. Record specific facts: missed payments, repeated instructions, confusion about account details, or inconsistent requests. These records are essential for continuity and risk management.
- Immediately review authority structures. Confirm whether a power of attorney is durable or springing and identify exactly what conditions must be met for activation to determine whether the agent can act now or whether additional steps are required.
- Follow formal activation requirements where applicable. If certification of capacity is required, ensure that the process follows the language in the governing documents. It typically involves one or more licensed medical professionals.
- Use trusted contact and fraud protection tools when appropriate. If there is reason to believe the client is at imminent risk or financial harm, follow firm policy and applicable regulations regarding temporary holds or escalation procedures.
- Maintain strict confidentiality boundaries. Even in crisis situations, client information should be shared only with authorized individuals and only to the extent necessary for account protection and administration.
Stabilizing the Situation
Once immediate risks are addressed, the advisor’s role shifts to stabilization:
- confirming who has legal authority to act
- reducing exposure to large or irreversible transactions
- ensuring consistent communication channels with authorized parties
- coordinating internally with compliance or supervisory teams
At this stage, the goal is not to solve the capacity issue but to ensure that the financial situation remains stable while legal clarity is established.
When to Bring in an Estate Planning Attorney
There are clear moments when the situation moves beyond the advisor’s scope and requires legal coordination. Consider involving or referring to an estate planning attorney in the following scenarios:
- Authority is unclear or disputed. Documents are outdated, ambiguous, or not accepted by institutions.
- There is disagreement about capacity. Family members and the client provide conflicting accounts, creating a stalemate.
- Multiple parties are involved in decision-making. Coagents, blended family dynamics, or competing instructions create operational confusion.
- Guardianship may be necessary. If no valid authority exists and capacity is likely lost, court involvement may be required.
In these situations, attorneys are often best positioned to clarify legal authority, resolve disputes, and guide families through formal processes.
The Advisor’s Role in a Closed Window
When capacity is in question, time becomes the most limiting factor. Options available today may not be available tomorrow. Authority structures that were sufficient in normal conditions may not function under stress or scrutiny. In these moments, advisors play a critical role in
- identifying risk early,
- slowing or pausing harmful transactions when appropriate,
- documenting clearly and consistently, and
- coordinating with legal professionals to restore clarity.
But just as importantly, advisors must recognize when the situation requires a different kind of expertise.
A Necessary Handoff
When financial authority, medical uncertainty, and family disagreement converge, no single professional can resolve the issue alone, and collaboration with an estate planning attorney becomes essential. Handled well, that handoff does more than resolve an immediate crisis. It can help preserve assets, reduce conflict, and bring structure to a situation that otherwise risks quickly escalating.
In most advisory work, planning is about anticipating what may happen next. In these situations, planning becomes something different: responding to what is already happening in real time, with limited margin for error.
The advisors who navigate this well are not the ones who try to manage everything alone; they are the ones who recognize when structure is breaking down, act decisively within their role, and bring in the right partners at the right moment.
