| Estate planning is not a solo sport. Read on….
READER QUESTION:
Can I bring my accountant or financial advisor with me to the initial consultation?
MY RESPONSE:
Absolutely! The best estate plan is one where all the financial players in your life are on the same team. It is all interrelated. For example, I may advise you to put an asset in a trust. The accountant should know about this because it may or may not have income tax consequences. The financial advisor should know about this because you may need their assistance in transferring the title to an asset from your name into the trust. I encourage communication between all your professionals and if we are all in the same room we can accomplish maximum communication.
On the other hand, the vast majority of clients do not need this maximum communication and can coordinate with these other professionals on their own. Perhaps the best use of everyone’s time is to have the first meeting without the other professionals, and then we can all assess the situation to see if another meeting is necessary with everyone present. Also, a follow-up Zoom meeting with your other professionals may be more efficient.
If the question is “CAN YOU?”, the answer is YES! If the question is “MUST YOU”, the answer is NO! We will work with your team any way you are comfortable and we will otherwise guide you to what is necessary. |
