Give yourself a pat on the back! It is very smart of you to think about developing an estate plan. You see the need to protect your assets and your family's future. Now you are ready to take action and move forward to find the estate planner who is right for you.

You have needs right now, but you also have wishes for the future. You want to know that your assets will be distributed the way you want, but you also want to minimize taxes, and expenses. You also want to do your part to prevent possible delays in the eventual distribution of your assets.

Your individual situation will determine what provisions you want in you plan. Finding professional makes good sense, but how will you choose the right estate planner?

One of the best qualifications to look for in an estate planner is the Certified Estate Adviser, also known as the CEA certification. The CEA falls under the direction of the NAFEP,the National Association of Financial and Estate Planning . Professionals who have earned this designation are usually credentialed life insurance and securities representatives, attorneys and CPAs. This certification is highly regarded in the fields of estate, legal, and financial planning.Financial services organizations encourage their agents and representatives to complete the CEA program before they work with clients on estate planning.

Talk to people you know well and find out who they use to guide them in their estate planning. With a recommendation from a friend or relative or the name of an adviser in your area who has the CEA credential, you will want to set up an appointment for an interview.

Make yourself a list of questions on a pad or in a notebook, allowing space to jot down some notes that record the main points of the advisor's response. Here are some suggested questions for you to use when you interview a potential estate planner:

1) What services do you provide?

2) Tell me about your investment philosophy. Are there particular investment products that you offer? (If it seems that the adviser has the perfect solution, or a "fool-proof" method of estate planning that works for everybody, then that should be a sign to continue your search for a suitable estate planner who does not have a quick solution to your estate planning needs.)

3) What are your qualifications?

4) How do you assess my situation and determine what my goals are?

5) What is the best way to contact you if I have a question or if I need for you to review my accounts?

6) Will I be talking to any of your associates or will I be dealing with you directly each time?

7) Have you developed working relationships with legal and tax advisers?

8) How are you compensated? (fees, commission salary?)

You will also need to ask the adviser to provide local references from investment professionals such as financial planners, attorneys, Certified Public Accountants,etc.

Contact professional and government regulatory agencies to verify that no disciplinary action has been taken against this adviser who you are interviewing for this all-important position: your Estate Planner. Such agencies include:

The Securities and Exchange Commission
CFP Board of Standards
The National Association of Securities Dealers Regulators

It is very important to remember that Estate Planning is not a one-time effort. It is a process in which you and your advisor review and evaluate the details of your estate plan on a regular basis, and update the plan as your situation changes over time.

Learn more about this author, E.M.Robinson.
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