In this article “Why Charitable Efforts Are the Advisor’s Edge in an AI-Driven World” appearing in Financial Advisor Magazine, the author suggests that charitable planning may become an increasingly significant way for advisors to differentiate themselves as artificial intelligence automates more traditional planning and investment functions. The article argues that conversations about philanthropy, legacy, and personal values create opportunities for advisors to build deeper client relationships in ways that technology cannot easily replicate, reinforcing the advisor’s role as a trusted counselor rather than simply a technical expert.
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Meghan Peachey, board chair of Invest in Others Charitable Foundation, and senior vice president, Financial Institutions Group, Natixis Investment Managers—U.S. Distribution, has spent more than two decades at Natixis Investment Managers building and deepening relationships across the independent, wirehouse, and registered investment advisor (RIA) channels. As board chair of the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation, she works at the intersection of financial services and community impact, helping amplify, celebrate, and inspire the charitable work of financial advisors who translate their values into action.
Russ Alan Prince: How can advisors use hands-on volunteer work to deepen client relationships, and are there ways to involve clients in that experience in a meaningful way?
Meghan Peachey: Volunteering alongside someone changes the dynamic of a relationship in ways that a conference room or Zoom meeting simply cannot. When an advisor shows up at a food bank or mentors students in financial literacy, clients see the full person, not just the professional. That kind of visibility builds trust that goes beyond portfolio performance.
Bringing clients into that experience takes it a step further. An advisor might invite a client to join them supporting a cause they’ve talked about together or organize a small group around a shared interest. What matters is not the scale, but sincerity. When clients participate in something meaningful alongside their advisor, the relationship deepens in ways that are hard to replicate through any other channel.
Prince: As AI takes over more of the analytical and administrative side of advising, does that create an opening for advisors to spend more time on values-based planning conversations with clients? How should advisors approach that shift?
Peachey: The short answer is yes. Advisors who recognize that opportunity early will be well positioned. AI is increasingly capable of handling data aggregation, portfolio analysis and routine reporting. That’s time being handed back to advisors, and the question is what they will do with it.
The most forward-thinking advisors will use that time to go deeper with clients on what actually matters to them: their legacy, their community and the causes they care about. These conversations have always been important, but they’ve often been crowded out by administrative demands.
Industry research reinforces why this shift matters. According to Natixis Investment Managers’ 2025 Global Survey of Individual Investors, 96% of U.S. investors say they trust their financial advisor when making financial decisions—far surpassing the 29% who say the same about algorithms or AI. That trust is built through human connection, not technology alone.
There’s also a broader message here for the industry. As technology becomes more central to how advice is delivered, the human element becomes more valuable. Charitable engagement signals to clients that their advisor is invested in something larger than the next quarter’s returns.
Prince: Younger inheritors and emerging wealth clients tend to prioritize value alignment more explicitly. Does that change how advisors should think about charitable efforts as a differentiator going forward?
Peachey: Younger clients, particularly those inheriting wealth or building it for the first time, are not separating their financial decisions from their values. They want to know that the people and institutions they work with share their worldview or at least take it seriously.
For advisors, charitable engagement is no longer just a nice addition to a practice. It’s increasingly a factor in how clients choose and stay with an advisor. If an advisor is actively involved in their community, supports causes aligned with a client’s priorities and can speak authentically to why that matters, it becomes a meaningful point of differentiation.
The advisors who build this into their practice now as a genuine expression of who they are will be far better positioned to build long-term relationships with the next generation of wealth holders.
Prince: For advisors who want to be more intentional about charitable engagement but don’t know where to begin, what’s the first step, and what resources or communities are available to support them?
Peachey: The first step is reflection. What causes genuinely matter to you? Where do you spend your time outside work? Authentic engagement starts there, not with what looks good, but with what’s real.
Across the industry, firms are increasingly embracing this mindset. At Natixis, employee-led philanthropy has been embedded for decades, earning repeated recognition for the generosity of its Massachusetts-based associates. That kind of culture reinforces the idea that giving isn’t a marketing effort—it’s a relationship builder.
Through my involvement as board chair at Invest in Others Charitable Foundation, it’s been a privilege to support the charitable work of financial advisors driving meaningful change in their local communities. Their stories are inspiring and underscore the deeply human side of the financial advisor community. It’s exciting to be able to align values and network with like-minded individuals through charitable efforts.
For advisors just getting started, even small steps count. Volunteer one afternoon. Talk to a client about a cause you care about. Show up somewhere outside the office. The relationship building that follows tends to be the most genuine because it starts with who you are, not what you do.
Russ Alan Prince is one of the foremost authorities in the private wealth industry and the co-author of Making Smart Decisions: How Ultra-Wealthy Families Get Superior Wealth Planning Results.
