In this episode, Molly sits down with Jessica Schmitz, Founder of Fund Ease, LLC, to discuss why so many estate plans fail after the documents are signed and the critical role trust funding plays in ensuring a plan actually works when it’s needed most.
Jessica shares the common reasons trusts go unfunded, why clients often fail to complete the funding process, and how law firms can improve follow-through, avoid probate risks, and deliver a better client experience.
You’ll learn how to identify trust funding gaps, create a more effective estate planning process, improve client accountability, and ensure your clients’ assets are properly protected from unnecessary probate and costly mistakes.
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Quotes of the Show:
“The cost isn’t the funding fee. The cost is failing to deliver on your promise to the client.” – Jessica Schmitz
Takeaways:
- A Trust Isn’t Complete Until It’s Funded. Assets must be properly transferred into the trust to avoid probate and ensure the plan works as intended.
- Most Funding Problems Are Really Follow-Up Problems. The biggest breakdown isn’t preparing the paperwork—it’s the lack of a consistent process to follow up with clients, advisors, and confirmations after documents are submitted.
- Funding Needs Dedicated Ownership. When funding is assigned to someone already juggling multiple responsibilities, files get delayed, clients disengage, and trusts remain incomplete.
- Proactive communication, timely reminders, and clear expectations keep clients engaged and significantly increase the likelihood that funding gets completed
- Unfunded trusts can lead to probate, frustrated clients, damaged referral relationships, and reputational risk for the law firm.
Connect with Jessica:
- Email: jessica@fund-ease.com
- Website: https://www.fund-ease.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-schmitz-fund-ease/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FundEase
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fund_ease/
Ways to Tune In:
Links:
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- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiringandempowering
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiringandempowering
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hiring&empoweringsolutions/
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