The role accountants play in estate planning

People commonly make plans for the orderly transfer of their property upon their death to relatives other persons, organizations, or trusts to be set up for the benefit of relatives. Such forethought is known as estate planning and is accomplished under the guidance of attorneys, often working closely with accountants. The attorney's role centers around preparing wills and, in many cases, trust agreements. The accountant's role consists of suggesting planning techniques consistent with the objective of minimizing transfer costs (federal estate taxes, state inheritance taxes, and fees and expenses). In this capacity, an accountant often determines expected transfer costs under various options. An accountant may also play an important role in advising his or her client on accounting matters pertaining to trusts that are to be established.