If a client's objectives change, how should the CFP respond?

• A. Ignore changes if they are minor.
• B. Update the plan with documented changes, obtain client consent, re-evaluate recommendations.
• C. Tell client to update goals themselves.
• D. Rebuild the entire plan from scratch.

Answer: (B)

When a client’s goals change, the compassionate and professional move is to adjust the plan to reflect those new objectives while keeping the client’s best interests front and center. This means updating the financial plan to incorporate the new goals, documenting exactly what changed and why, and obtaining the client’s clear consent to the revised plan. After those steps, you re-evaluate all recommendations to ensure they still fit the client’s new direction, time horizon, and overall situation. That re-evaluation should cover any affected areas such as investment strategy, cash flow, tax considerations, insurance needs, and estate planning, so the plan remains suitable and coherent.

Keeping thorough records supports accountability and transparency, and securing consent protects the client’s autonomy and upholds the CFP’s fiduciary duty. Ignoring changes isn’t appropriate because it risks misalignment with the client’s needs. Asking the client to update goals themselves abdicates professional responsibility, and rebuilding the plan from scratch is only necessary if the changes are so fundamental that the original framework no longer applies.