Certified Estate and Trust Specialist™

When a new client mentions they have been meaning to get their estate planning done, walk them through the five core goals of estate planning (transfer wishes, tax efficiency, incapacity preparation, family protection, and charitable intent) using the Estate Planning Needs Checklist to identify which goals apply to their situation.

Pull up a client's account list during your next review and map every asset to its transfer mechanism (will/probate, beneficiary designation, or operation of law) using the Asset Transfer Mapping Worksheet to identify any coordination gaps between titling, beneficiary designations, and estate documents.

For a client approaching retirement with an estate above $5 million, calculate their estimated federal estate tax exposure using current exemption figures from the Reference Atlas and show them whether their estate crosses the state estate tax threshold in their state of residence.

When a client asks whether they should avoid probate, use the Probate Cost and Timeline Comparison for their state (available in the Reference Atlas) to show the estimated timeline and cost, then compare probate to the alternatives so they can make an informed decision rather than reacting to probate myths.

For your next client review, conduct a Beneficiary Designation Audit by pulling current beneficiary forms for every account and comparing them against the client's will and trust documents, then flag any outdated designations, missing contingent beneficiaries, or coordination conflicts for immediate correction.

When a client inherits a retirement account, use the Inherited Individual Retirement Account (IRA) Decision Tree from the Reference Atlas to classify the beneficiary as an Eligible Designated Beneficiary (EDB) or Non-Eligible Designated Beneficiary (NEDB), determine whether the 10-year rule or stretch provisions apply, and outline the distribution timeline before the client makes any withdrawal decisions.

When a client with children from a prior marriage asks whether they need a trust, walk them through three scenarios (with no trust, with a revocable living trust, and with a testamentary trust) to show how each structure would affect asset distribution, probate exposure, and control over timing of distributions to beneficiaries.

When an estate attorney recommends a Qualified Terminable Interest Property (QTIP) trust or an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) for a client, use the Trust Type Comparison Chart from the Reference Atlas to explain the purpose, mechanics, and trade-offs to your client in plain language before they sign.

At your next client meeting, use the Estate Planning Discovery Framework to ask the five key discovery questions (goals, family dynamics, asset composition, existing documents, and concerns), document the findings, and prepare a needs summary that you can share with the estate planning attorney.

When a client's discovery reveals both estate planning and tax planning needs, identify the specific professionals required (estate attorney, tax attorney, or Certified Public Accountant (CPA)), prepare the client for the first attorney meeting using the Attorney Meeting Preparation Checklist, and schedule a coordination call to align recommendations across the team.

After a client's estate documents are signed, use the Implementation Tracking Checklist to verify that every action item is completed: trust funding (retitling of real estate, financial accounts, and business interests), beneficiary designation updates, and document storage, with follow-up dates assigned to each item.

For a client over age 65 who has not updated their incapacity documents in five or more years, review their financial power of attorney, health care power of attorney, and living will for currency, then verify that financial institution records match the named agents and that Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) authorizations are on file with all medical providers.

When a client reports a major life event (marriage, divorce, birth, death, relocation, or retirement), use the Life Event Review Trigger Checklist to identify which estate planning documents, beneficiary designations, and account titling arrangements need attorney review, and schedule the review within 30 days.

When you identify a client with a blended family, a business ownership interest, or a family member with special needs, use the Special Situations Screening Questionnaire to document the specific planning considerations and determine which specialists (trust attorney, business valuation expert, special needs planner) to add to the team.

When a client's spouse passes away, use the Post-Death Administration Timeline to guide the surviving spouse through immediate, 30-day, 6-month, and 12-month action items, coordinating with the executor and estate attorney while providing grief-aware communication at each step.

Choose one client from your book who has mentioned estate planning but not yet acted, and apply the complete Quarterback Workflow (discovery, team assembly, coordination, implementation, and maintenance) to move them from intent to a funded, coordinated estate plan within 90 days.