Trustee Services and Fiduciary Advisory Services

In limited cases, Zell Law attorneys will serve as trustees and fiduciaries on behalf of selected clients. For example, in the case of life insurance trusts, Zell Law attorneys may serve as trustee during the period of administration of the trust and before insurance proceeds are received from the insurance company to assist with the administration of these complex trusts and to preserve the intended estate, gift and generation skipping transfer tax benefits. In other cases (typically where Zell Law attorneys did not draft the will or trust under which the fiduciary relationship was created), we may serve as trustee, because of our knowledge of and experience in interpreting and implementing the various duties owed by trustees and fiduciaries. These duties include the duty of loyalty, the duty of impartiality, the duty to prudently invest trust and estate assets and other duties prescribed under statutory and common law. Otherwise, our role is to advise successor trustees and fiduciaries on the duties and liabilities, and how to interpret the provisions of the trust or will under which they have been appointed.