Estately empowers advisors to help their clients with estate planning in-house. With Estately + Counsel, our customers now have access to a fully vetted network of attorneys for complex and higher net-worth clients.  Estately + Counsel enables advisors to grow their business by taking on higher net worth clients with more complex estates, nationwide.

Financial Advisors using Estately are able to handle a majority of their clients on their own, without needing to involve an attorney. Estately's digital platform serves the vast majority of client needs through wills and trusts. However, adding + Counsel means higher net-worth clients can meet with and engage an attorney for complex planning. 

When Financial Advisors Need Estately + Counsel

Financial Advisors need a solution to address the needs of higher net worth clients, as they often make up the bulk of an advisor’s revenue. When dealing with higher net worth clients who have more assets, estate planning gets more complicated for a variety of reasons. It is vital for financial advisors to have access to vetted, top-tier attorneys in order to meet the needs of larger clients. Here are just a few circumstances that may arise that indicate involving an attorney may be necessary:

• Large or complex assets: Estates with significant value or complex holdings, such as business interests, multiple investment accounts, or unusual property types (e.g., intellectual property or collectibles), often require specialized legal structuring. An attorney can ensure proper valuation, tax optimization, and alignment with estate planning goals. Without legal input, the distribution of these assets might lead to disputes, tax penalties, or unintended consequences.
  
• Blended families: Blended families, where clients have children from previous relationships or remarriages, can create unique estate planning challenges. Ensuring that biological children and stepchildren are fairly provided for may require customized trust structures or detailed language in a will. An attorney can help navigate potential conflicts of interest and ensure the estate plan reflects the client’s wishes while reducing the likelihood of disputes among heirs.
  
• Out of state property: Different countries may have unique rules regarding property transfers, tax treaties, and estate planning requirements. An attorney with expertise in international estate law can help navigate these challenges, ensuring compliance with foreign regulations while coordinating the estate plan to reflect the client's wishes. They can also address potential issues such as double taxation, forced heirship laws, or the need for international probate, protecting the estate's value and simplifying asset distribution across borders.
  
• Other circumstances: There are many reasons where involvement of an attorney might be beneficial including, but not limited to: potential contested wills, special needs, unique family dynamics, international beneficiaries, and more. 

Taking on more complex clients inevitably involves complications, but is a necessary obstacle for advisors looking to grow their business by pursuing higher net worth clients. To meet the needs of such clients, advisors must be equipped with adequate resources, as well as attorneys.

White-Glove Service at Scale with Estately + Counsel 

Financial advisors using Estately + Counsel have access to attorney drafted documents as well as a nationwide network of top-tier attorneys. Instead of juggling a list of constantly changing and retiring attorneys, Estately + Counsel arms advisors with a team of vetted attorneys, empowering them to take on the biggest clients, anywhere in the country. 

With Estately + Counsel, advisors are able to request an attorney and remain involved in the process instead of simply passing off clients as referrals to a local attorney. Advisors using Estately + Counsel work with their clients to move them through a three step process that includes Client Intake, Attorney Drafting, and Document Finalization. This enables advisors to monitor progress and ensure their clients documents are handled quickly and efficiently. To learn more about Advanced Services Law Group (ASLG), visit their website.

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Estately empowers financial advisors to provide estate planning services in-house for all clients. With Estately + Counsel, advisors are equipped with the resources to handle larger clients anywhere in the country and supervise the estate planning process even when an attorney needs to be involved. To get started with Estately, talk to sales today.