{"id":12294,"date":"2026-03-06T16:52:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T16:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wealthtime.com\/advisers\/?post_type=blog&p=12294"},"modified":"2026-03-31T10:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T10:48:30","slug":"tax-year-end-regret-can-be-an-asset","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.wealthtime.com\/advisers\/blog\/tax-year-end-regret-can-be-an-asset\/","title":{"rendered":"Tax year end regret can be an asset"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Regret Is Your Most Bankable Asset<\/strong>. 74% have at least one regret from last tax year. Treat that as a conversion moment – not a guilt trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tax year end produces a predictable emotional hangover. People look back, realise they left things late, and wish they\u2019d acted differently. In our study*, 74% reported at least one regret from last year\u2019s tax year end. The most common regret isn\u2019t \u201cI didn\u2019t optimise\u201d. It\u2019s \u201cI felt rushed,\u201d \u201cI didn\u2019t feel confident,\u201d and \u201cI didn\u2019t get organised early enough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


That matters because regret is one of the few emotions in personal finance that reliably predicts a future change in behaviour – if it is handled correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Handled badly, regret becomes shame (\u201cI\u2019m useless with money\u201d) and avoidance (\u201cI don\u2019t want to think about it\u201d). Handled well, regret becomes a reset (\u201cnext year I\u2019ll do it differently\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n


This is where advisers can create a powerful two-step journey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Step 1: Validate the regret<\/strong>
A simple line does the job:
\u201cYou\u2019re not alone – tax year end makes people feel rushed. The goal this year is to make action feel simpler and safer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Step 2: Convert it into a \u201cfirst 30 days\u201d plan<\/strong>
The new tax year is a behavioural fresh start. Your clients\u2019 best intentions are highest in April and May – but they decay fast unless you capture them. The smart move is to book the next check-in while the regret is still warm and the relief of \u201cit\u2019s done\u201d creates openness to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


A great practical device is the \u201cApril Advantage\u201d: a short post-6 April checklist that moves one or two items from aspiration to habit (regular ISA funding, pension contribution settings, account consolidation, documentation readiness). The client feels progress; the firm reduces March load; the relationship deepens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


So, don\u2019t waste regret. It\u2019s not a negative finding – it\u2019s the strongest evidence you have that clients want a better system. Make \u201cless regret next year\u201d the value proposition, and you\u2019ll find clients surprisingly willing to engage earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Graph<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Q: \u201cThinking back to last tax year end, which of the following do you regret (if any)?\u201d
Q: \u201cIn the first 30 days after 6 April, which actions are you most likely to take?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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*Based on research commissioned by Wealthtime and conducted by Ad Lucem<\/a>.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The survey, conducted in January 2026 among 1,000 UK adults aged 35+ with average investable assets of \u00a3350,000, provides critical insights into the behaviours, concerns and preferences of people navigating tax year-end planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please be aware that Wealthtime is not responsible for the information displayed on, or the availability of, the Ad Lucem website.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n Download the report <\/a>\n\n\n\n

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Read the next article<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more tax year end planning top tips, read the next bitesize article. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n Read next <\/a>\n\n\n\n

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For more expert insight and analysis, visit our tax year end library.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \n Visit the library <\/a>\n\n\n\n

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Stay connected<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n