Your 2025 Year-End RIA Checklist: The 5 Reviews Every Firm Should Do Before January

Because “new year, new you” also applies to your firm…

Year-end is basically the “new year, new you” era for your firm, the perfect moment to zoom out, take a breath, and get brutally honest about what’s working and what’s draining your soul.

Clients are wrapping up their financial to-dos, systems are begging for updates, and you finally have a window to ask the real question: Is my firm set up for the version of me I want to be in 2026?

This checklist walks you through the five reviews every RIA should complete before January, a simple way to start the year aligned and organized.

1. Review Your Tech Stack

Your tech stack should make your life easier. If it’s not, it might just become an expensive digital hoarder situation.

Questions to ask yourself:

• What tools actually got used this year… and what sat in the corner collecting digital dust?
• Are the integrations delivering on their promises or just providing vibes?
• Where did duplicate functionality sneak in?
• What systems consistently created bottlenecks or errors?
• How long ago was it that I updated permissions and security, especially for former employees or interns who left in May?
• What tech tools can I map as essential vs. optional for Q1?

Use XYPN's FREE Calculator to evaluate where you can save money before 2026 hits.

2. Audit Your Fees & Billing

Fee drift is very real. Over time, you take on more work, serve more complex clients, and suddenly your pricing model is the same as it was three years ago… but your workload is not.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Do my fees still reflect the scope of my work?
• Are my clients all being billed consistently (and compliantly)?
• Did I undercharge anywhere out of “I’ll fix it later” energy?
• Has my niche evolved, and has my pricing evolved with it?

Use XYPN’s Fee 2025 Benchmarking Podcast to compare your pricing against real advisor data before you set 2026 fees.

3. Reconfirm Your Service Model Clarity

Your service model is the heartbeat of your firm, but it tends to expand quietly, like bread dough you forgot about.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Did I actually deliver every touchpoint I think I delivered?
• What do clients value most, and what do they not care about at all?
• Where did unintentional “exceptions” become the norm?
• Which tasks could be automated or templatized without losing the personal touch?

Use XYPN’s “Art of Client Onboarding” Podcast with Libby Greiwe to clarify your service model and deliver a smoother, more scalable client experience in 2026.

4. Reevaluate Your Niche Positioning

Your niche should evolve as you grow, not trap you.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Who did I enjoy serving this year? (Important.)
• Who drained me like an iPhone at 3%? (Also important.)
• What problems did I solve most effectively and consistently?
• What messaging actually resonated with prospects?
• Did I attract the right people or just the available people?

Use XYPN’s FREE Niche and Ideal Client Academy Course to refine who you serve and update your messaging for 2026.

5. Clean Up Your Marketing

Marketing clean-up is essentially spring cleaning, but in winter, for your business, and with less sneezing.

Questions to ask yourself:

• What content actually performed, not what you liked
• Which platforms are worth your energy
• Whether your website messaging still matches your niche
• What’s scheduled for Q1 (or what’s not… yet)
• Your email list's health and deliverability
• Whether your brand is consistent across social, email, and site

Use XYPN’s FREE Marketing Brand Report Card to evaluate what’s working, and what needs a 2026-level refresh.

Wrapping It Up: Start 2026 With Intention

Year-end doesn’t have to feel like a giant “how did we get here?” moment. With a little intentional cleanup now, you can walk into January with the kind of clarity that makes future-you say, “Wow, thank you.”

These five reviews are simple, repeatable, and honestly game-changing for capacity, confidence, and client experience.

Start now, keep it light, and set your 2025 self up to feel organized, aligned, and fully in CEO mode.