Remote Financial Planning for the Digital Nomad Clients
In 2025, around 1 in 4 U.S. employees work remotely, which equates to 36.07 million people. The increasing prevalence of remote work has caused a need to adapt financial planning practices to serve clients effectively. The rise of the digital nomad lifestyle has also impacted some clients’ financial needs and goals.
Remote financial planning is a different experience from traditional financial advising services. However, it offers some benefits. Advisors must adjust their approach to meet the unique needs of clients who work remotely. We will provide financial advisors with an authoritative guide to working successfully with remote clients.
The Unique Needs of Remote Clients
Remote clients have brought about unique needs for financial planning services. From diverse client profiles to communication preferences and time zones, there are several specific needs financial advisors should be aware of.
Diverse Client Profiles
One thing to be cognizant of for remote financial planning clients is that there is a lot of variety within this segment. Digital nomads traveling from place to place, exploring different environments, will likely have different financial goals and priorities than geographically flexible professionals. Advisors and Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) need to understand these different types of clients’ financial needs.
Technological Comfort and Expectations
These clients generally have high comfort levels with technology due to their professional use of it for their jobs. However, they may have different expectations for digital interaction than traditional financial planning clients. They will likely prefer to communicate via video conferencing, email, or phone calls. Information should be securely delivered digitally to facilitate seamless implementation.
Location-Specific Financial Considerations
Financial planners must be aware of varying tax laws and regulations when serving remote clients in different states or even other countries. Each jurisdiction can have its own tax laws, financial regulations, reporting requirements, and planning strategies, which may significantly impact a client’s financial goals and the advice a planner provides.
Communication Preferences and Time Zones
Financial planners must also understand and accommodate different communication styles. Financial advisors may serve clients in different time zones, and meeting times and communication may need to be adjusted to meet these clients’ needs and expectations.
Building a Tech-Savvy Remote Practice
Remote financial advisory practices must lean on technology to support their service offerings to remote clients. Here are some tips on building a tech-focused remote practice that provides clients with a successful planning experience.
Secure Communication Platforms
Security and confidentiality are critical when working with remote financial planning clients. Financial advisors must protect client data by using secure communication platforms for video conferencing, document sharing, and messaging. Advisors handle sensitive personal and financial information and should be vigilant in protecting client data.
For video conferencing and other communication, using platforms with end-to-end encryption and access controls is vital. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet offer security controls like meeting passwords.
Files should be transferred securely for document sharing with two-factor authentication (2FA), view-only settings, and expiration dates for shared links. Recommended platforms for document sharing include OneDrive for Business and Dropbox Business. It’s also important that all platforms used are SOC 2 Type II certified or offer HIPAA/FINRA/SEC compliance options, depending on your practice’s needs.
Digital Document Management
Efficient and secure digital document storage and retrieval systems are essential in remote financial planning. Cloud-based solutions offer financial planners flexibility to share documents securely from anywhere. OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive are all popular document management options for financial planning.
Virtual Planning Tools
Virtual planning tools, like Asset-Map, help facilitate client understanding and foster engagement. Asset-Map is financial planning software and a visual collaboration tool that clearly visualizes a client’s financial landscape. Its features can be used effectively in both traditional and remote settings. With the Asset-Map Report, financial advisors can host comprehensive planning conversations to help clients set and progress toward financial goals.
Asset-Map can also be used to scale client data collection and streamline the fact-finding process. The Discovery Interview feature easily collects high-level facts on the people, entities, and household financials, eliminating account numbers, PII, and/or holdings. This enables clients to share their financial information in minutes, no matter their location. There's no need to meet at an office, spending time answering discovery questions.
Client Portals and Self-Service Options
Providing clients secure online portals to access their financial information and track progress is a modern necessity in financial planning. Remote clients will appreciate the ability to easily access data from wherever they are. A client portal, like the one Asset-Map provides, helps advisors deliver more personalized service at scale.
With the client portal feature, only the advisor can edit the financials. To keep the platform compliance-friendly, clients will have read-only access to the areas of the platform you choose to share with them.
Mastering Remote Client Engagement
It can be challenging to keep clients engaged when working with them remotely. What are the best ways to promote remote client engagement?
Establishing Clear Communication Protocols
Financial advisors must meet with clients to set communication expectations. Advisors should discuss communication frequency, response times, and preferred methods of communication. Creating a communication plan with clients ensures that everyone is on the same page. Clear communication protocols can prevent frustration and confusion from either party.
Conducting Effective Virtual Meetings
Financial advisors can use visual aids, screensharing, and interactive elements to make virtual meetings more engaging. Talking for an hour without any visuals can quickly become boring, and clients may disengage. That’s why sharing visualizations of financial data with clients is important. Prevent unproductive meetings by clearly communicating complex financial reports with slide decks and visual representations.
Additionally, when appropriate, you can build rapport with remote clients by sharing your background and education with them, as well as personal anecdotes.
Download our Remote Meeting Guide
Building Trust and Rapport Remotely
Financial advisors must work harder to establish and maintain strong client relationships without in-person interactions. Financial planners can build client relationships by communicating consistently, listening actively, and demonstrating empathy. Building rapport takes time, but with the right techniques, it can be done.
Encourage clients to speak freely about their financial history, concerns, and aspirations. Listen actively by asking relevant questions and reflecting on what you heard them say. Be patient and understanding when working with remote clients to create comprehensive financial plans.
Proactive and Personalized Communication
Proactive communication is key to maintaining rapport with remote financial planning clients. Reach out to clients regularly with relevant information and tailored advice. Tailor financial advice to the client’s specific circumstances and location. Intentional communication ensures that remote clients don’t feel forgotten. Build value from afar with personalized communications referencing a client’s goals, regional updates, or life milestones.
Navigating the Regulatory and Compliance Landscape
Advisors must pay close attention to the regulatory and compliance landscapes when working with remote clients in various locations.
Understanding Jurisdiction and Licensing
Advisors should understand the complexities of providing financial advice across state lines or internationally. Proper licensing and registration are essential to practicing remotely. Failure to comply can result in regulatory penalties and client distrust. Financial advisors in the U.S. must comply with both federal and state-level regulations. Registration rules differ based on whether an advisor is registered with the SEC or their state and the number of clients served.
Data Privacy and Security Regulations
Data privacy regulations, such as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), are important for a remote financial advisor to comply with. Other state-specific laws may also be relevant to financial advisors who serve clients in different states.
Cybersecurity best practices should also be used to protect client data from being leaked. Essential cybersecurity measures include data encryption, multi-factor authentication, software updates, and secure client portals.
Documentation and Record-Keeping
Detailed documentation and record-keeping are critical aspects of financial planning compliance, whether remote or in-person. Document all client interactions and store them in compliant CRM tools. Also, log investment recommendations and risk disclosures for future reference.
Ethical Considerations in Remote Advice
It should be noted that financial advisors should always act in the client’s best interest, even when inconvenient. It is essential that financial advisors uphold the same ethical standards for remote clients as traditional clients. Clients may feel more cautious engaging in remote financial planning, so be sure to provide transparency and provide written follow-up materials.
Embrace the Remote Revolution: Expanding Your Reach
Utilize the strategies we examined today to effectively serve your remote financial planning clients. The growing remote workforce and interest in remote financial advising services present untapped opportunities for many advisors. Adapting your practices to meet the needs of remote clients will open the doors to wider reach for your financial planning practice.
Using Asset-Map (and the tips we shared), you can face the future of remote financial planning head-on. Schedule a demo of Asset-Map to discuss how it can help engage remote clients.