The phone rang at WE Trust on a Thursday afternoon around 3 PM. On the other end was an attorney, finalizing estate planning documents with her hospitalized client. The prognosis was grim—perhaps a few days, weeks, or months at best. The client, a loving mother, wanted to ensure that her two sons, who had a strained relationship, wouldn’t tear each other apart after her passing. She wanted them to inherit her estate, but she didn’t believe they could manage the process fairly and equitably on their own.
Would WE Trust be willing to step in as a neutral third party, serving as her Personal Representative?
This is a call we receive often. It’s never easy. Families in the midst of grief must navigate an emotional storm while also dealing with the complex and often overwhelming logistics of settling an estate. A reordering of family dynamics is underway, and long-buried tensions can resurface. Love and loss intertwine with pain and sadness, yet at the heart of it all, there is a job that must be done.
When someone passes, there are homes to maintain, assets to marshal, personal belongings to sort, tax returns to file, and inheritances to distribute. Without a neutral party, the process can quickly become contentious. This is where a professional fiduciary becomes invaluable.
Why Choose a Professional Fiduciary for Estate Planning?
Unlike family members, we don’t carry emotional baggage into the process. We don’t learn estate administration on the job—we do this work every day. We persistently work with life insurance companies, financial institutions, attorneys, and accountants to gather assets, settle accounts, and meet tax obligations. In today’s complex financial world, settling an estate is no small task, and having an experienced fiduciary at the helm can make all the difference.
A Complex but Fair Resolution
We said yes to the attorney and her client. After reviewing the details, we determined that we could help. The client had sufficient assets to cover our fees while still ensuring her sons received a sizable inheritance. However, the real challenge wasn’t just the numbers—it was the deeply sentimental value each son placed on their mother’s personal belongings.
As expected, disputes arose. Objects became symbols of love, memory, and rivalry. But with a structured and transparent system of equitable distribution, we helped the brothers reach a resolution. They may not have been entirely happy, but they were ultimately satisfied. And when they became mired in arguments over possessions, we provided a summary of our administrative fees to date—an effective motivator to encourage compromise.
From filing the final tax return to settling outstanding debts, clearing and selling the family home, and distributing the estate according to their mother’s wishes, we guided the process to completion.
An Honor and a Responsibility
At WE Trust, we’ve handled estates like this hundreds of times. Every case is different, but the core of our mission remains the same: to act with integrity, discretion, compassion, dedication, expertise, and, above all, trust.
Serving as a fiduciary is more than a business—it’s a responsibility and a privilege. We are honored to step in when families need us most, ensuring a fair and orderly process so that those left behind can focus on what truly matters—honoring their loved one’s legacy.