Team Approach

At St. Louis Estate Planning we believe in the value of working (with your permission) directly with your investment adviser, accountant, and insurance agent.  The wealthy families of the world have the resources of a “team” of professionals (attorney, financial adviser, accountant and insurance professional) communicating with each other to make sure all of the clients’ interests are covered.  Why shouldn’t the rest of us have the same benefit of a team looking out for us?

Investment Advisers -  We consider your investment adviser to be your “financial quarterback.”  Whether you are new to them or have worked with them for years, they are likely your most trusted professional adviser and will be the first person your family will turn to for financial advice.  Many other law firms will put together your estate plan and then expect you to communicate your beneficiary updates and changes to your investment adviser without the assistance of the estate planning attorney.  We look at it differently.  Most of our clients like our suggestion to invite the input of the financial adviser for a few minutes of the first estate planning meeting.  We find that the unique understanding that the financial adviser brings to the table provides for a better product.  At the end of the engagement, with the client's permission, we talk directly to the adviser and client about the financial aspects of the plan so that the adviser can update their financial documents easily and without confusion.   

Accountants -  Most of the time we do not involve an accountant in our client's estate planning.  In more complicated situations, we may need their expertise.  Some families have a great relationship with their own accountant.  When they do, we are happy to work directly with that accountant to make sure all bases are covered.  If our clients don’t have an accountant that they work with, but need one, we are happy to recommend an accountant we trust.  Regardless of whether you introduce us to your trusted accountant, or you end up using one we recommend, at St. Louis Estate Planning, we see our role as being central in all of the discussions since it is our job to get your estate plan right.  

Insurance Agents -  The process of setting up an estate plan sometimes identifies gaps in insurance coverage which a client might want to address.  If the client requests it, we are happy to take phone calls from the client’s insurance agent at no cost to the client to discuss important matters.  In the right circumstances, our client may need an insurance Trust.  We coordinate with the client and the agent to ensure our client has the right product, every time.  

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