The estate world sometimes feels a little bit like alphabet soup and a dictionary got together and had a very complicated child.

There are trustees and executors, decedents and settlors, CRUTs and CRATs and DAFs–oh my!

Deep breath. That’s why people like Apex exist. We live in this world. We’ve got credentials, and while we’re not attorneys or financial advisors or a trust company, we’ve built up an amazing network of knowledgeable, approachable experts who know their stuff and can support clients where our expertise ends. One of our biggest roles in supporting clients is helping them form a team of professionals who will help them bring a plan to life, thoughtfully invest their assets, and assist them in living the rest of their lives with peace of mind–knowing that after their gone, their loved ones and favorite causes will be cared for strategically and efficiently.

Before those folks are brought on-board, a foundational step of the legacy-planning process is naming key fiduciaries: those who will carry out someone’s wishes and ensure that their legacy plan documents are followed. We’ve put together an entire spring series to support people in bringing their loved ones up to speed on their plan (here’s a helpful guide) and equipping those fiduciaries to do their jobs well. We’ve tapped into our local professional network to bring together panelists from the legal, financial, and healthcare worlds, and it’s been great to summarize what each of these key roles does, how they work together, and things to think about now so they can serve well when their loved one passes away. 

We just hosted the first webinar, geared toward trustees and personal representatives (or executors), and we were joined by Julie Westbrock of Trust Point and Attorney Jason Heinen from the Law Offices of Mark S. Knutson. It was a good time, and we’re grateful for the thoughtful and approachable way that Julie and Jason explained the roles we get so many questions about. 

Whether you’re naming people to serve in key estate roles, you’ve been named in someone’s plan, or you’re just learning more about legacy planning, there are some important things to think about. We’ve taken our webinar content and put together a high-level, downloadable guide, and we hope it’s helpful to you!

Download the Free Guide: “Guide to Being a Trustee or Executor Personal Representative”