…
etc. Probably each paragraph wrapped with that comment. We need to include the facts from e-book: Master IPS Template with placeholder tags, completed client questionnaire data, client profile, critical sections, use a tool like Google Forms, JotForm, or CRM questionnaire module. Actionable framework: AI-Friendly Client Onboarding Form, create a “Human Touch” Checklist, output structured data set, scenario Johnson Family Trust, step-by-step instruction with checklist items: client-specific jargon, compliance completeness, internal consistency, tone & voice. Review should take 15-30 minutes. We must not use placeholders; write complete, actionable content. Must include e-book promotion paragraph at end with link. Word count 450-500 words. Need to count. We need to output only the article content, starting with “Title: …”. No preamble. Let’s craft about 470 words. We’ll need to count words. Let’s draft then count. Draft: Now HTML content. We’ll produce series of paragraphs. Let’s write. Then paragraphs. I’ll write then count. — Title line — Title: Automating the IPS: From Initial Questionnaire to First Draft in Minutes Using AI Minutes Using AI Better: Actually they ask: Start with the title line break? Probably “Title: Automating the IPS: From Initial Questionnaire to First Draft in Minutes Using AI” Then newline then HTML. Now paragraphs. We need to embed headings maybe h2 etc? We’ll useheadings. Each paragraph:
text
. Headings: maybe…
. Now content. I’ll write then count words. — Draft — Title: Automating the IPS: From Initial Questionnaire to First Draft in Minutes Using AIIndependent financial advisors (RIAs) spend hours drafting Investment Policy Statements (IPS) for each new client, a process that can be streamlined with AI while preserving the personal touch that builds trust.
Start with a Master IPS Template that contains placeholder tags such as [CLIENT_NAME], [RISK_TOLERANCE], [RETIREMENT_AGE], and [LEGACY_GOAL]. This template lives in your document library and serves as the skeleton for every IPS you create.
Collect client information through an AI‑friendly onboarding form. Use Google Forms, JotForm, or your CRM’s questionnaire module to capture:
- Client profile: full name, legal entity (Trust, LLC, Individual), date of birth, and contact details.
- Quantitative goals: target retirement age, desired retirement income, education fund amounts and timelines, legacy objectives expressed as specific dollar amounts or percentages of estate.
- Risk tolerance: numerical score or descriptive level derived from a validated questionnaire.
- Liquidity needs, tax considerations, and any ESG preferences.
Export the form responses as a structured data set—CSV, JSON, or a formatted Word table—rather than a static PDF. This machine‑readable output lets AI merge the answers directly into your Master IPS Template.
Scenario: the Johnson Family Trust completes the onboarding form. The exported JSON looks like:
{"client_name":"Johnson Family Trust","entity_type":"Trust","date":"2025-09-24","retirement_age":65,"retirement_income":120000,"education_fund":50000,"education_timeline":"2030","legacy_goal":250000,"risk_tolerance":"moderate","liquidity_needs":"6 months","esg_preference":true}
Run an AI prompt that instructs the model to replace each placeholder in the Master IPS Template with the corresponding field from the JSON. The output is a first‑draft IPS ready for review in seconds.
Human Touch Checklist (15‑30 minutes):
- Client‑Specific Jargon: Verify that terms used match the client’s language and any agreed‑upon phrasing from the discovery meeting.
- Completeness of Compliance: Ensure every required disclosure from the Master Template (e.g., fiduciary duty, fee schedule, conflict‑of‑interest statement) is present and correctly formatted.
- Internal Consistency: Check that stated objectives, risk tolerance, and proposed asset allocation logically align; adjust numbers if contradictions appear.
- Tone and Voice: Read the narrative aloud and edit phrasing to reflect your firm’s authentic voice—whether formal, conversational, or advisory.
After the checklist, save the polished IPS as a PDF for client signature and store the original Word version for future updates. The same workflow applies to quarterly client review reports: feed the latest portfolio performance data into a second AI prompt, generate a draft report, then run a similar review checklist focused on performance commentary, goal progress, and any needed action items.
By automating the initial draft with AI and limiting human effort to a focused review, RIAs can cut IPS creation time from hours to minutes, freeing capacity for deeper client conversations and business growth.
For a comprehensive guide with detailed workflows, templates, and additional strategies, see my e-book: AI for Independent Financial Advisors (RIAs): How to Automate Investment Policy Statement (IPS) Creation and Quarterly Client Review Report Drafting.
Now we need to count words. Let’s count manually. We’ll need to count words in the content (excluding the Title line? The title line also counts? Probably total words of article includes title line? Safer to count everything after “Title: …” including title text. We’ll count all words. I’ll copy the text and count. Title line: “Title: Automating the IPS: From Initial Questionnaire to First Draft in Minutes Using AI” Words: Title:(1) Automating(2) the(3) IPS:(4) From(5) Initial(6) Questionnaire(7) to(8) First(9) Draft(10) in(11) Minutes(12) Using(13) AI(14). So 14 words. Now paragraphs. I’ll go paragraph by paragraph. Paragraph1: “Independent financial advisors (RIAs) spend hours drafting Investment Policy Statements (IPS) for each new client, a process that can be streamlined with AI while preserving the personal touch that builds trust.” Count words: Independent(1) financial2 advisors3 (RIAs)4 spend5 hours6 drafting7 Investment8 Policy9 Statements10 (IPS)11 for12 each13 new14 client,15 a16 process17 that18 can19 be20 streamlined21 with22 AI23 while24 preserving25 the26 personal27 touch28 that29 builds30 trust31. 31 words. Paragraph2: “Start with a Master IPS Template that contains placeholder tags such as [CLIENT_NAME], [RISK_TOLERANCE], [RETIREMENT_AGE], and [LEGACY_GOAL]. This template lives in your document library and serves as the skeleton for every IPS you create.” Count: Start1 with2 a3 Master4 IPS5 Template6 that7 contains8 placeholder9 tags10 such11 as12 [CLIENT_NAME],13 [RISK_TOLERANCE],14 [RETIREMENT_AGE],15 and16 [LEGACY_GOAL].17 This18 template19 lives20 in21 your22 document23 library24 and25 serves26 as27 the28 skeleton29 for30 every31 IPS32 you33 create34. 34 words. Paragraph3: “Collect client information through an AI‑friendly onboarding form. Use Google Forms, JotForm, or your CRM’s questionnaire module to capture:” Count: Collect1 client2 information3 through4 an5 AI‑friendly6 onboarding7 form.8 Use9 Google10 Forms,11 JotForm,12 or13 your14 CRM’s15 questionnaire16 module17 to18 capture:19 19 words. Paragraph4: This is a- with list items. Need to count words inside
- tags. We’ll count the text inside.
First li: “Client profile: full name, legal entity (Trust, LLC, Individual), date of birth, and contact details.”
Count:
Client1 profile:2 full3 name,4 legal5 entity6 (Trust,7 LLC,8 Individual),9 date10 of11 birth,12 and13 contact14 details15.
15 words.
Second li: “Quantitative goals: target retirement age, desired retirement income, education fund amounts and timelines, legacy objectives expressed as specific dollar amounts or percentages of estate.”
Count:
Quantitative1 goals:2 target3 retirement4 age,5 desired6 retirement7 income,8 education9 fund10 amounts11 and12 timelines,13 legacy14 objectives15 expressed16 as17 specific18 dollar19 amounts20 or21 percentages22 of23 estate24.
24 words.
Third li: “Risk tolerance: numerical score or descriptive level derived from a validated questionnaire.”
Count:
Risk1 tolerance:2 numerical3 score4 or5 descriptive6 level7 derived8 from9 a10 validated11 questionnaire12.
12 words.
Fourth li: “Liquidity needs, tax considerations, and any ESG preferences.”
Count:
Liquidity1 needs,2 tax3 considerations,4 and5 any6 ESG7 preferences8.
8 words.
Now also need to count the
- and
block with JSON. Need to count words inside? Usually code not counted as words? Might be considered but we should count as words? Safer to count as words separated by spaces. Let's count the JSON
- and