Managing Collaboration Between Estate Planning Attorneys and Financial Professionals

Our goal is to facilitate effective and enjoyable working relationships between estate planning attorneys and financial planners, to identify and effective manage obstacles that are common to the collaborative process. Your answers will help us help others with honest discussion, communication and education.

We will not sell, distribute or share your contact information with anyone outside of Integrity Marketing and ask for it only for our own purposes to ensure accuracy of the data and to send you the final survey results when they are compiled.

Name (required)

Firm Name

Street Address

City, State and Zip Code

Email (required)

Website Address (URL)

1. How long have you been practicing in the field of estate planning? (select one)

2. Do Any of your client referrals come from financial professionals? (select yes or no)

2a. If yes, please select the top 2 (from the list below) types of financial professionals making the referrals (hold down the <CTRL> key to make your second selection).

2b. Of the above, what percent are certified financial planners? (select one)

3. Which is the PRIMARY way that you meet prospective referral sources? (select one)

4. Please describe in your own words the ideal collaborative relationship between estate planning attorneys and financial professionals.

5. What do you see as the greatest challenge in working with professional referral sources?

6. What do you see as the greatest possible benefit?

7. When it comes to fees, do you find that financial professionals generally: (select one)

7a. Other (Explanation)

8. If you could, what would you change about your professional referral relationships?

The following statements recently appeared in an article written by a financial professional and published in the Financial Planning Association Journal. Please indicate the degree to which you agree or disagree with each of these statements, and give us your personal comments if relevant.

"With the monumental growth of the financial planning industry in the last several decades, the financial planner has joined the estate planning attorney as a common member of the core advisor team."

Comments

"In addition to the obvious need for professional competence in one's own area of expertise, a good relationship between an estate planning attorney and financial planner requires some working knowledge of the other discipline and the good sense to speak up and request additional information when the subject matter surpasses your knowledge and ability."

Comments

"A multidisciplinary approach to client service requires an appreciation for the client's long-term goals and overall situation including addressing personal and familial issues as well as financial matters."

Comments

"In a new relationship, it is important for the estate planning attorney and the financial planner to openly discuss expectations regarding the allocation of responsibility, participation at meetings, and the manner and method of presenting information to the client."

Comments

"Client control is probably the single most important issue that generates friction between the estate planning attorney, the financial planner, and the various other professionals working toward the client's goals."

Comments

"The need to protect the viability of the attorney/client privilege may be a real concern in certain circumstances. But in most cases, the substantive expertise of the financial planner, the relationship between the financial planner and the client, and the tremendous benefit of a collaborative planning approach far outweigh the need to protect the conversation from potential later disclosure. The best approach is a frank conversation with the client regarding the issue of privilege and a careful case-by-case evaluation of each situation to determine the advisability of protecting the privilege."

Comments

Please share with us any additional comments you have regarding the collaboration between estate planning attorneys and financial professionals:

Finally, please indicate whether we may quote you in any news articles about this survey. Please be assured that if you do NOT give permission, then your replies will be kept in strictest confidence.


We will not sell, distribute or share your contact information with anyone outside of Integrity Marketing and ask for it only for our own purposes to ensure accuracy of the data and to send you the final survey results when they are compiled. Thank you for contribution to this important research project.