What is the primary role of an estate planner?

The primary role of an estate planner is to assist individuals in organizing their affairs for efficient asset transfer. Estate planners focus on helping clients navigate the complexities of transferring their assets upon death, ensuring that their wishes are honored, tax implications are minimized, and beneficiaries are clearly identified. This involves creating wills, trusts, and other legal documents that facilitate the smooth transition of assets to heirs while adhering to legal requirements.

While managing the affairs of deceased individuals and representing clients in probate court are tasks related to the administration of estates, these roles more commonly fall under the purview of probate attorneys rather than estate planners. The estate planner's main objective is to proactively set up the necessary paperwork and legal instruments during a client's lifetime to achieve their estate planning goals. Drafting contracts for business transactions is a separate area of law that doesn't directly pertain to estate planning, which specifically focuses on personal asset management and transfer upon death.