The traditional estate plan can feel a bit like a classic Thanksgiving feast: comforting, but sometimes a bit predictable. While tradition can be comforting and grounding, there is something to be said for mixing things up, not only around the dinner table but also in an estate plan. Clients do not have to settle for leaving their loved ones a one-time, lump-sum inheritance, nor do they have to limit themselves to a standard will- or trust-based plan. Read more to learn about how their plan can reflect more modern notions of giving, sharing, and gratitude.

You cannot stop fall from turning into winter. The best you can do is ensure that your clients are prepared for colder weather to come. An estate plan can be thought of in the same way. While it may not stave off what is coming (i.e., the client’s death or incapacity), it can provide warmth to those left gathered around the hearth. As autumn turns to winter and you meet with your clients to gather what is needed for the seasons of life ahead, read more to learn some practical pointers you can offer to keep their estate plan from burning out and to ensure that it is ready to work when they need it.

Encourage Your Clients to Ask Their Loved Ones What They Want

Estate planning can be thought of as gift-giving on a bigger, more enduring scale. But unlike a holiday gift that can be returned, exchanged, donated, thrown away, or relegated to a basement, the “gifts” of an estate plan carry emotional weight and often touch on sensitive family dynamics that demand more in-depth contemplation and conversation. Having “the Talk” before “the Transfer” is critical to managing family harmony, uncertainty, and the financial complexity of passing wealth. Read more to learn some suggestions you can present to your clients to follow up on “the Talk” with action.

This information is for educational purposes only and cannot be considered legal advice, nor does the receipt of this newsletter create an attorney-client relationship.