Every Estate Planning matter has a Decision makers page. It gives your firm and your client a place to note who the client has in mind for each key role, in order of preference. It is a talking point for your planning conversations, not the final plan.
Entries on this page record preferences only and do not create contacts. Once you and your client have settled on who will serve, add those people to the estate with Add Person.
đ Where to Find Decision Makers
Open the matter.
Click Decision makers in the left panel, between Estate overview and Estate files.
If the matter has two clients, select a client's name tab at the top. Each client has their own questions and lists, shown under the heading [Client name]'s decision makers.
â How to Choose Which Roles Apply
The Which roles apply box asks four Yes/No questions about the client. Each answer decides whether a role list is shown.
Question | Answering Yes shows |
Does [client] have any children under 18? | Guardian for Minor Children |
Does [client] have a trust, or want anything held in trust (for example, for children)? | Trustee |
Does anyone who depends on [client] have a disability or special needs? | Supplemental Needs Trustee |
Might anyone who depends on [client] need help making personal decisions as an adult? | Guardian for an Adult |
Answering No hides a role but keeps any names already listed in it. Switch the answer back to Yes to see them again.
A Suggested label next to a question means EstateMin has pre-answered it from the details on the matter, for example because someone listed as the client's child or grandchild is under 18. Hover over the info icon to see why, and change the answer if it isn't right.
Your client sees and can answer the same questions in their Client Portal.
đ What Roles Are Included
Three roles are always listed for each client:
Personal Representative - Executor: settles the estate after death.
Financial Power of Attorney (Agent): handles money, property and financial affairs if the client cannot.
A health care decision maker: makes medical decisions if the client cannot decide or speak for themselves.
Up to four more appear depending on the answers above: Trustee, Guardian for Minor Children, Supplemental Needs Trustee and Guardian for an Adult. Each list shows a one-line description of the role under its heading.
Role labels follow the matter's state. For example, the health care role is Health Care Agent in New York and Health Care Representative in Connecticut, and Connecticut uses Conservator and Special Needs Trustee for the adult guardian and disability trustee roles.
âď¸ How to Add Decision Makers
Under the role you want, click Add a name.
Type the person's full name. It saves as soon as you finish typing. There is no save button.
Click Add a name again to add the next preference. The Order number shows where each person sits in the client's preference, with 1 being the first choice.
đ How to Reorder or Remove a Name
To change the order, drag a name using the handle on the left of the row and drop it in its new position. The Order numbers update automatically.
To remove a name, click the Ă at the end of the row.
To edit a name, click into the field and change the text.
đĄ Good to Know
Changes save straight away and your client sees them in their Client Portal. There is no separate firm-only copy.
Names and answers on this page do not go through review and do not send your firm an email, so check the page before your next planning meeting.
Clients on newer Estate Planning portals have a Decision-Makers step with an Appointee details section, where they add each chosen person's details and role. Those appointees are sent to your firm for review like any other portal submission. See Reviewing Client-Submitted Files, People, Assets, Debts, and Expenses.
On a matter with two clients, such as a married couple, one client can fill in both clients' lists, or each client can be invited to the Client Portal separately. Either way, both clients can see and edit each other's lists.
When a decision is final, add the person to the estate with Add Person and assign their role. See Estate Planning Matters in EstateMin for the roles available.
The Decision makers page only appears on Estate Planning matters.
đŹ Need Help?
Use the chat bubble in the lower-right corner of EstateMin or email [email protected] for support.