Overview
This library provides a practical set of Action Items and Reminders firms can use to support ongoing client relationships throughout the year. Each item is designed to drive meaningful client participation, gather timely inputs, and keep planning work moving forward without relying on ad hoc follow-up.
Action Items are fully actionable requests that prompt clients to share information, confirm decisions, or prepare for planning conversations. Each one directly supports advisor workflows and helps ensure planning discussions are informed, focused, and productive.
Most firms use a subset of these Action Items each year. In practice, fewer than 10 are typically assigned to any single client annually.
Reminders are intentionally tied to real planning moments and deadlines, such as tax filing, contribution windows, and year-end planning. They are designed to reinforce timing and completion of active Action Items, not to introduce new requests or generate noise.
This library reflects common planning work across a typical year. Not every item applies to every client, and advisors retain discretion over timing and use.
This library is not a prescribed annual calendar. Firms are encouraged to:
Select only the Action Items and Reminders that align with your service model
Reuse items year over year
Deploy them as standalone assignments as needed
Annual Action Items Library
Use Case | Copy |
Establish annual baseline | Upload your most recent account statements so we can confirm starting assumptions for this year. |
Reference prior-year tax filing | Upload your most recent tax return so we can incorporate it into planning. |
Confirm tax filing approach | Let us know whether you plan to file by the standard deadline or request an extension. |
Capture year-to-date changes | Share any changes since year-end that may affect your financial plan. |
Prepare for planning priorities | Select the top areas you’d like us to focus on this year. |
End-of-Year contributions | Have you maxed out your contributions for 2025? You have until April 15th. |
Estate planning review | Upload your current estate planning documents for review. |
Beneficiary confirmation | Confirm that beneficiary designations are current across accounts. |
Retirement planning inputs | Update your retirement timeline and goals so we can validate assumptions. |
Education planning inputs | Share current education funding plans and upcoming needs. |
Outside professional coordination | Upload documents from your tax or legal professional so we can stay aligned. |
Mid-year plan update | Confirm whether there have been any changes that impact your plan since our last review. |
Contribution verification | Confirm current retirement and savings contribution amounts. |
Meeting preparation | Submit questions or topics you’d like covered in our next meeting. |
Year-end tax planning inputs | Upload documents needed to evaluate year-end tax planning opportunities. |
Capital gains confirmation | Confirm whether you expect any significant gains this year. |
Charitable giving plans | Share planned charitable contributions so we can incorporate them into planning. |
Required distribution confirmation | Confirm how required distributions will be handled this year. |
Year-end planning confirmation | Confirm any remaining items you’d like addressed before year-end. |
Document final updates | Upload any final planning updates from this year. |
Next-year outlook | Share known changes or goals for the coming year so we can plan ahead. |
Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) | Complete any required IRA distribution by December 31. |
First-Year RMD | Confirm whether a first-year required distribution is needed by December 31. |
Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) | Submit any IRA charitable gifts by December 31 to count for this year. |
Roth Conversion | Finish any IRA conversion intended for this year by December 31. |
Inherited IRA | Review whether an inherited IRA distribution is required before year-end. |
Year-End IRA Check | Check that all planned IRA activity is complete before December 31. |
Annual Reminders Library
Use Case | Copy |
Tax filing deadline awareness | The tax filing deadline is approaching. Let us know if you have any questions or updates to review. |
Extension confirmation | If you plan to file an extension, let us know so we can coordinate planning accordingly. |
IRA contribution deadline | The deadline to make IRA contributions for the prior year is approaching. Reach out if you’d like to review options. |
HSA contribution deadline | If applicable, this is a good time to review HSA contribution opportunities before the deadline. |
Review filed tax return | Once your return is filed, feel free to upload it so we can review it together. |
Estimated tax payment timing | A quarterly estimated tax payment is coming up. Let us know if anything has changed. |
Retirement contribution review | Mid-year is a good time to review retirement contributions and make adjustments if needed. |
Required Minimum Distribution awareness | If you’re subject to required distributions, we’ll want to confirm plans for this year. |
Beneficiary review timing | This is a good time to review beneficiary designations and confirm they’re up to date. |
Education funding timelines | If applicable, upcoming education funding deadlines may be approaching. Let us know if you’d like to review options. |
Open enrollment planning | Open enrollment periods are coming up. Reach out if you’d like to review coverage or benefits. |
Year-end tax planning window | We’re entering the window for year-end tax planning. Let us know if you’d like to review potential actions. |
Capital gains planning | If you anticipate gains this year, this is a good time to review potential tax considerations. |
Charitable giving planning | If charitable giving is part of your plan, now is a good time to review strategies. |
RMD deadline reminder | Required distributions must be completed by year-end. Let us know if you’d like help planning. |
Retirement plan funding deadline | This is the window to confirm retirement plan contributions for the year. |
Trust and estate updates | If any estate documents were updated this year, feel free to upload them so we can review. |
Year-end document gathering | As the year wraps up, uploading key documents now helps us prepare for planning ahead. |
Annual planning recap | We’re wrapping up this year’s planning. Let us know if there’s anything we should address before year-end. |
Looking ahead to next year | As we plan ahead, let us know about any upcoming changes that may impact your planning. |
Reminder to Action Item Mapping
Reminders and Action Items can be used together to support common planning moments. Reminders serve as timely prompts, while Action Items give clients a clear way to respond by sharing information or documents.
This mapping illustrates how a reminder may naturally lead to a specific Action Item. The intent is not to add unnecessary tasks, but to request the right input at the right time so planning conversations are more focused and easier to manage.
Planning Moment | Reminder | Action Item |
Tax filing | The tax filing deadline is approaching. Let us know if you have any updates to review. | Upload your most recent tax return so we can incorporate it into planning. |
Tax filing approach | If you plan to file an extension, let us know so we can coordinate planning accordingly. | Let us know whether you plan to file by the standard deadline or request an extension. |
Post-filing review | Once your return is filed, feel free to upload it so we can review it together. | Upload your most recent tax return so we can incorporate it into planning. |
Contribution deadlines | The deadline to make IRA contributions for the prior year is approaching. | Confirm current retirement and savings contribution amounts. |
Contribution review | Mid-year is a good time to review retirement contributions and make adjustments if needed. | Confirm current retirement and savings contribution amounts. |
Estimated taxes | A quarterly estimated tax payment is coming up. | Confirm whether you expect any significant gains this year. |
Estate & beneficiaries | This is a good time to review beneficiary designations and confirm they’re up to date. | Confirm that beneficiary designations are current across accounts. |
Estate documents | If any estate documents were updated this year, feel free to upload them so we can review. | Upload your current estate planning documents for review. |
Education planning | Upcoming education funding deadlines may be approaching. | Share current education funding plans and upcoming needs. |
Open enrollment | Open enrollment periods are coming up. | Share known changes or goals for the coming year so we can plan ahead. |
Year-end planning window | We’re entering the window for year-end tax planning. | Upload documents needed to evaluate year-end tax planning opportunities. |
Capital gains | If you anticipate gains this year, this is a good time to review tax considerations. | Confirm whether you expect any significant gains this year. |
Charitable giving | If charitable giving is part of your plan, now is a good time to review strategies. | Share planned charitable contributions so we can incorporate them into planning. |
Required distributions | If you’re subject to required distributions, we’ll want to confirm plans for this year. | Confirm how required distributions will be handled this year. |
RMD deadline | Required distributions must be completed by year-end. | Confirm how required distributions will be handled this year. |
Year-end wrap-up | Uploading key documents now helps us prepare for planning ahead. | Upload any final planning updates from this year. |
Year-end closeout | We’re wrapping up this year’s planning. | Confirm any remaining items you’d like addressed before year-end. |
Looking ahead | As we plan ahead, let us know about upcoming changes. | Share known changes or goals for the coming year so we can plan ahead. |