Many people have important questions about estate planning, such as:

• How should I invest my assets?
• Am I minimizing taxes?
• How can I insure that there will be enough assets for my personal financial plans?
• Who will best manage my assets if I become incapacitated or die?

These are difficult questions for any individual to answer and yet, they are not really new. There is evidence that more than 4,000 years ago individuals left documents giving instructions dealing with the orderly distribution of property. Today we call this document a Will.

The United States has developed a dynamic, complex society in which laws and taxes impact on the simplest transactions. Huge industries like banking and insurance have evolved to protect property. Four distinct disciplines have become necessary to help individuals cope with the bewildering array of choices in estate planning. The Certified Public Accountant, the Financial Advisor, the Attorney, and the Trust Officer form the ESTATE PLANNING TEAM which can deliver specialized solutions to various estate planning problems.

The DuPage County Estate Planning Council membership consists of professionals from each of the aforementioned groups who meet regularly to improve their skills and stay abreast of the latest developments in the estate planning field.

We strongly urge any individual with a net worth over $100,000 to develop a complete estate plan with the benefit of suggestions from the specialists who use the ESTATE PLANNING TEAM.