Estate planning lawyers work with complex trust structures every day, but finding the right resources to support your practice can be challenging. Whether you're drafting revocable living trusts, managing irrevocable trust administration, or helping clients navigate tax implications, having access to quality tools and references makes all the difference. The landscape of lawyers trusts resources has expanded significantly, with digital platforms, specialized software, and comprehensive legal databases now available to streamline your workflow and enhance client service.
Essential Trust Drafting Software
WealthCounsel
WealthCounsel stands as one of the most comprehensive estate planning software solutions specifically designed for lawyers trusts practice. This platform offers an extensive library of trust documents, including revocable living trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, charitable remainder trusts, and special needs trusts. The software integrates seamlessly with practice management systems and provides automated document assembly that significantly reduces drafting time.
The platform's strength lies in its ability to handle complex trust provisions while maintaining compliance with state-specific requirements. WealthCounsel includes built-in tax planning tools that help lawyers trusts practitioners optimize structures for their clients' unique situations. The system also provides regular updates to ensure documents reflect current law changes, making it invaluable for busy estate planning practices.
Pro Tip: WealthCounsel's collaboration features allow multiple attorneys to work on complex trust documents simultaneously, making it ideal for larger firms handling sophisticated estate planning matters.
Key features include:
* Automated document assembly with intelligent questionnaires
* State-specific trust forms and provisions
* Tax planning calculators and optimization tools
* Client portal for secure document sharing
* Integration with major practice management systems
HotDocs
HotDocs offers powerful document automation specifically tailored for lawyers trusts drafting. This platform excels at creating complex conditional logic that adapts trust documents based on client circumstances. The software allows attorneys to build custom templates that incorporate firm-specific language while maintaining consistency across all trust documents.
The platform's template library includes comprehensive trust forms covering everything from simple revocable trusts to sophisticated dynasty trusts. HotDocs integrates with popular legal research platforms, allowing attorneys to access relevant case law and statutory updates directly within the drafting interface. This integration proves particularly valuable when dealing with evolving areas of trust law.
Best use cases:
* Large firms requiring standardized trust document production
* Practices handling high-volume estate planning
* Attorneys needing complex conditional document logic
* Firms requiring detailed audit trails for document creation
Estate Planning Systems (EPS)
Estate Planning Systems provides specialized software for lawyers trusts practice that emphasizes tax planning integration. The platform combines document drafting with sophisticated tax modeling, allowing attorneys to demonstrate the financial impact of different trust structures to clients. This capability proves essential when presenting complex estate planning strategies to high-net-worth individuals.
EPS includes comprehensive libraries for all major trust types, with particular strength in generation-skipping transfer tax planning and charitable trust structures. The software's calculation engines handle complex tax scenarios automatically, reducing the risk of errors in trust document provisions related to tax elections and distributions.
Legal Research Databases for Trust Law
Westlaw Estate Planning Library
Westlaw's estate planning resources provide comprehensive coverage of trust law across all jurisdictions. The platform's trust-specific databases include federal and state case law, statutory materials, and secondary sources written by leading estate planning practitioners. The advanced search capabilities allow lawyers trusts professionals to quickly locate relevant precedents and analyze emerging legal trends.
The platform's KeyCite feature proves particularly valuable for trust practitioners, providing real-time updates on case law developments that might affect existing trust documents or planning strategies. Westlaw's estate planning treatises offer practical guidance on complex trust administration issues, making it an essential resource for both document drafting and ongoing trust management.
Why It Matters: Staying current with trust law developments is crucial for lawyers trusts practitioners, as changes in tax law, state legislation, and court decisions can significantly impact existing planning strategies.
Research capabilities include:
* Comprehensive trust case law databases
* State-specific trust code annotations
* Tax law integration for trust planning
* Forms libraries with practice commentary
* Real-time legal update notifications
Lexis+ Estate Planning
Lexis+ provides extensive trust law resources through its specialized estate planning modules. The platform's strength lies in its comprehensive secondary source materials, including detailed practice guides written by leading trust and estate attorneys. These resources offer practical insights into complex trust administration issues that practitioners encounter in daily practice.
The platform's Shepard's Citations service ensures that lawyers trusts professionals can verify the current validity of cases and statutes cited in their documents. Lexis+ also provides access to extensive form libraries with detailed annotations explaining the purpose and implications of specific trust provisions.
Bloomberg Law Estate Planning
Bloomberg Law offers unique advantages for lawyers trusts practitioners through its integration of legal research with financial and tax analysis tools. The platform provides real-time access to tax law developments, regulatory changes, and market data that can impact trust planning strategies. This integration proves particularly valuable when working with clients who have complex financial portfolios.
The platform's estate planning portfolios provide comprehensive analysis of current trust law issues, including detailed explanations of recent court decisions and their implications for practice. Bloomberg Law's news and analysis features keep practitioners informed about legislative developments that might affect their clients' trust structures.
Trust Administration Resources
Trust Management Software
Fiduciary Solutions
Fiduciary Solutions provides comprehensive trust administration software designed specifically for lawyers trusts practices that handle ongoing trust management. The platform streamlines beneficiary communications, automates distribution calculations, and maintains detailed records required for trust accounting and tax reporting.
The software's strength lies in its ability to handle complex distribution schemes while maintaining compliance with fiduciary duty requirements. Fiduciary Solutions includes built-in conflict checking to ensure that trust administration decisions align with document provisions and applicable law. The platform also provides robust reporting capabilities that support both beneficiary communications and court accountings when required.
Core features:
* Automated distribution calculations and tracking
* Beneficiary portal for transparent communications
* Investment performance monitoring and reporting
* Tax preparation integration and support
* Court accounting and reporting tools
Trust & Will Administration System (TWAS)
TWAS offers specialized software for law firms handling both estate administration and ongoing trust management. The platform provides integrated workflow management that helps lawyers trusts practitioners track deadlines, manage beneficiary communications, and ensure compliance with administrative requirements.
The system's document management capabilities prove particularly valuable for trust administration, providing secure storage and easy access to trust documents, beneficiary information, and administrative records. TWAS includes automated reminder systems that help ensure timely completion of required fiduciary tasks.
Trust Accounting Resources
QuickBooks for Trusts
While not specifically designed for trust accounting, QuickBooks can be effectively configured for simple trust administration when used with appropriate chart of accounts and reporting modifications. Many lawyers trusts practitioners use QuickBooks for smaller trusts where dedicated trust accounting software might be excessive.
The platform's strength lies in its integration with tax preparation software and its ability to generate reports that support both beneficiary communications and tax filing requirements. However, practitioners must ensure that their QuickBooks configuration complies with applicable trust accounting standards and fiduciary reporting requirements.
Sage 50 Trust Accounting
Sage 50 provides more sophisticated accounting capabilities for lawyers trusts practices handling complex trust portfolios. The software includes specialized trust accounting features that support principal and income allocations, beneficiary tracking, and generation of required fiduciary reports.
The platform's reporting capabilities include templates specifically designed for trust accountings, making it easier for practitioners to provide beneficiaries with the detailed information required by law. Sage 50 also integrates with investment management platforms, allowing for real-time portfolio tracking and performance reporting.
Continuing Education and Professional Development
American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
ACTEC provides premier continuing education resources for lawyers trusts practitioners seeking to advance their expertise in sophisticated estate planning techniques. The organization's educational programs cover cutting-edge developments in trust law, tax planning strategies, and fiduciary administration.
ACTEC's commentary on trust and estate laws provides authoritative guidance on complex legal issues that practitioners encounter in their practices. The organization's publications offer practical insights into emerging areas of trust law, including digital asset planning and international trust structures.
Expert Tip: ACTEC fellowship represents the highest level of recognition in the trust and estate field, and the organization's educational resources reflect this expertise level.
Educational offerings include:
* Advanced trust planning seminars and workshops
* Webinar series on current legal developments
* Practice guides and commentary publications
* Networking opportunities with leading practitioners
* State-specific law update programs
National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC)
NAEPC provides comprehensive educational resources for lawyers trusts practitioners at all experience levels. The organization's programs cover both technical legal issues and practice management topics relevant to estate planning attorneys.
The association's estate planning law journal provides regular updates on trust law developments, case analyses, and practical planning strategies. NAEPC's educational programs often feature interdisciplinary perspectives, bringing together attorneys, CPAs, and financial planners to address complex client situations.
Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning
The Heckerling Institute represents the premier annual educational event for lawyers trusts practitioners. This intensive program covers the latest developments in estate and trust law, featuring presentations by leading academics and practitioners in the field.
The institute's materials provide comprehensive coverage of current legal issues, including detailed analysis of recent court decisions, legislative changes, and tax law developments. Heckerling materials serve as an essential reference resource for practitioners throughout the year.
Tax Planning and Compliance Resources
Tax Preparation Software
Lacerte Trust Tax
Lacerte provides specialized tax preparation software designed specifically for trust and estate returns. The platform integrates seamlessly with trust administration software, allowing for efficient preparation of Forms 1041, 706, and related schedules.
The software's strength lies in its ability to handle complex trust tax situations, including generation-skipping transfer tax calculations, charitable deduction optimizations, and multi-state filing requirements. Lacerte includes extensive diagnostic features that help identify potential tax planning opportunities and compliance issues.
Key capabilities:
* Automated trust tax return preparation
* Generation-skipping transfer tax calculations
* Multi-state filing support and optimization
* Integration with trust administration platforms
* Comprehensive tax planning and diagnostic tools
ProSeries Trust & Estate
ProSeries offers cost-effective tax preparation solutions for lawyers trusts practices handling moderate volumes of trust returns. The software provides essential trust tax preparation capabilities while maintaining integration with popular accounting and administration platforms.
The platform includes templates for common trust tax situations and provides guidance on complex tax elections that can significantly impact trust beneficiaries. ProSeries also offers cloud-based access, allowing practitioners to prepare returns from multiple locations.
Tax Research and Planning
RIA Estate Planning Analysis
RIA provides comprehensive tax research and analysis tools specifically designed for trust and estate practitioners. The platform combines primary source materials with expert analysis and practical planning guidance.
The service's strength lies in its integration of tax law research with practical planning strategies. RIA's estate planning analysis includes detailed explanations of complex tax provisions and their implications for trust planning and administration.
BNA Tax & Accounting Center
BNA offers extensive tax research capabilities for lawyers trusts practitioners, including specialized databases covering estate and gift tax law, trust taxation, and fiduciary income tax issues. The platform provides both primary source materials and expert analysis.
The service's portfolio system organizes complex tax topics into manageable sections, making it easier for practitioners to locate relevant guidance on specific trust tax issues. BNA also provides regular updates on tax law developments that affect trust planning and administration.
Client Communication and Marketing Resources
Estate Planning Presentation Tools
Wealth Transfer Planning Illustrations
Professional illustration software helps lawyers trusts practitioners explain complex planning concepts to clients through visual representations. These tools prove particularly valuable when presenting sophisticated trust structures to clients who may not have extensive financial or legal backgrounds.
Modern illustration platforms include interactive features that allow attorneys to demonstrate the impact of different planning scenarios in real-time during client meetings. This capability enhances client understanding and engagement while supporting informed decision-making about trust structures.
Key Takeaway: Visual presentation tools significantly improve client comprehension of complex trust planning strategies, leading to better client relationships and more effective planning outcomes.
* Interactive trust structure diagrams
* Tax impact modeling and visualization
* Scenario comparison tools
* Professional presentation templates
* Client education materials and handouts
Client Portal Solutions
MyCase Client Portal
MyCase provides secure client portal functionality that allows lawyers trusts practitioners to share sensitive estate planning documents and communications with clients. The platform includes document sharing, secure messaging, and case update features.
The portal's strength lies in its ease of use for both attorneys and clients, with intuitive interfaces that encourage client engagement. MyCase includes mobile access capabilities, allowing clients to review trust documents and communicate with their attorneys from any location.
Clio Client Portal
Clio offers comprehensive client portal features designed for law firms handling sensitive estate planning matters. The platform provides secure document sharing, billing transparency, and case progress tracking.
The portal includes automated client communication features that help lawyers trusts practitioners maintain regular contact with clients throughout the planning process. Clio's integration with popular legal billing and practice management software streamlines administrative tasks.
Professional Organizations and Networking
State Bar Estate Planning Sections
Most state bar associations maintain active estate planning sections that provide valuable resources for lawyers trusts practitioners. These sections offer continuing education programs, practice guides, and networking opportunities specific to local law and practice conditions.
State bar estate planning sections often maintain form libraries and practice resources tailored to state-specific requirements. These resources prove particularly valuable for practitioners handling trust administration in multiple jurisdictions or dealing with state law variations.
Local Estate Planning Councils
Local estate planning councils bring together attorneys, CPAs, financial planners, and other professionals involved in estate planning. These organizations provide interdisciplinary educational programs and networking opportunities that enhance practice development.
Estate planning councils often sponsor joint educational programs that address complex client situations requiring coordinated professional services. These programs help lawyers trusts practitioners develop relationships with other professionals and stay current with developments in related fields.
Technology and Practice Management
Document Management Systems
NetDocuments for Estate Planning
NetDocuments provides cloud-based document management specifically configured for law firms handling sensitive estate planning matters. The platform includes advanced security features, version control, and collaboration tools essential for lawyers trusts practices.
The system's strength lies in its ability to organize complex estate planning files while maintaining security and accessibility. NetDocuments includes automated backup and disaster recovery features that protect critical client information.
iManage for Legal
iManage offers sophisticated document and email management for larger lawyers trusts practices. The platform provides advanced search capabilities, matter-centric organization, and integration with popular legal software applications.
The system includes comprehensive audit trails and security features required for handling sensitive trust and estate information. iManage also provides mobile access capabilities that allow attorneys to access client files securely from any location.
Practice Management Integration
Actionstep Estate Planning
Actionstep provides practice management software specifically designed for estate planning attorneys. The platform combines matter management, document assembly, and client communication tools in a single integrated system.
The software's workflow automation features help lawyers trusts practitioners manage complex estate planning matters efficiently while ensuring that critical deadlines and requirements are met. Actionstep includes built-in trust accounting capabilities that support ongoing trust administration.
Common Questions About Lawyers Trusts Resources
What software is essential for starting a trusts practice?
Starting a lawyers trusts practice requires several essential software categories. Document assembly software like WealthCounsel or HotDocs provides the foundation for efficient trust drafting. These platforms offer comprehensive template libraries and automated document generation that significantly reduces drafting time while maintaining accuracy and compliance.
Legal research access through Westlaw or Lexis+ ensures that practitioners can stay current with trust law developments and access relevant case law and statutory materials. Tax preparation software like Lacerte Trust Tax becomes essential for practices handling ongoing trust administration and tax compliance.
Practice management software that includes client portal capabilities helps manage sensitive estate planning matters while providing clients with secure access to their documents and case information. The specific software choices depend on practice size, client complexity, and budget considerations.
How do I stay current with trust law developments?
Staying current with trust law developments requires a multi-faceted approach combining formal education, professional publications, and peer networking. Subscribing to specialized publications like the Estate Planning journal and participating in continuing education programs through organizations like ACTEC and NAEPC provides access to expert analysis of legal developments.
Legal research platforms provide real-time updates on case law and statutory changes through services like KeyCite and Shepard's Citations. Setting up automated alerts for trust law topics ensures that practitioners receive immediate notification of relevant legal developments.
Participating in professional organizations and local estate planning councils provides opportunities to discuss practical implications of legal changes with other practitioners. These interactions often provide insights into how legal developments affect daily practice that may not be apparent from reading cases or statutes alone.
What resources help with complex trust administration?
Complex trust administration requires specialized software, professional guidance, and ongoing education resources. Trust administration software like Fiduciary Solutions provides tools for managing beneficiary communications, calculating distributions, and maintaining required records.
Professional consultation with experienced trust administrators or specialized attorneys helps navigate complex situations that may arise during trust administration. Many practitioners maintain relationships with institutional trustees who can provide guidance on best practices and compliance requirements.
Continuing education programs specifically focused on trust administration provide updates on fiduciary duty requirements, tax compliance issues, and beneficiary relations. Organizations like the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils offer specialized programs addressing trust administration challenges.
How do I evaluate trust planning software options?
Evaluating trust planning software requires consideration of practice size, client complexity, integration requirements, and budget constraints. Start by identifying the specific features your practice needs, such as document assembly, tax planning tools, client portals, or trust administration capabilities.
Request demonstrations from multiple vendors and test the software with representative client scenarios from your practice. Pay particular attention to the quality of document templates, ease of customization, and integration capabilities with existing practice management systems.
Consider the vendor's track record for software updates, customer support quality, and training resources. The total cost of ownership includes not only software licensing fees but also training time, implementation costs, and ongoing support requirements.
What continuing education is most valuable for trust practitioners?
The most valuable continuing education for lawyers trusts practitioners combines technical legal updates with practical skills development. Programs offered by ACTEC provide advanced technical training on sophisticated trust planning techniques and emerging legal issues.
The Heckerling Institute offers comprehensive coverage of current developments in estate and trust law, featuring presentations by leading experts in the field. State bar estate planning sections provide updates on local law developments and practice-specific guidance.
Interdisciplinary programs that include CPAs, financial planners, and other professionals help lawyers trusts practitioners understand the broader context of estate planning and develop collaborative relationships essential for serving complex clients effectively.
How do I build a referral network for trust services?
Building a referral network for lawyers trusts services requires developing relationships with complementary professionals and demonstrating expertise through professional activities. CPAs, financial planners, insurance agents, and bank trust officers regularly encounter clients who need trust planning services.
Participating in local estate planning councils and professional organizations provides opportunities to meet potential referral sources and demonstrate expertise through presentations and committee participation. Writing articles for professional publications and speaking at educational programs helps establish credibility with other professionals.
Developing expertise in specific areas of trust law, such as special needs planning or charitable trusts, can create niche referral opportunities. Maintaining regular communication with referral sources through newsletters, case studies, and educational materials helps ensure that your practice remains top-of-mind when referral opportunities arise.
The Bottom Line
The right combination of lawyers trusts resources can transform your estate planning practice, improving efficiency while enhancing client service quality. From comprehensive document assembly software to specialized continuing education programs, these tools and resources provide the foundation for building a successful trust and estate practice. Get started with Will & Trust to explore how modern estate planning tools can support your practice development and client service goals. Ready to get started? Visit Will & Trust to learn more.