Ask five questions before recommending trusts

Three estate-planning advisers presented guidance in a webinar earlier this month and in a July 2026 peer-reviewed article in a legal journal. The presenters were Bryan Beamer, founder of iPlan; Jermal Seward, CEO of Family and Workforce Centers of America; and Martin Shenkman, partner at Shenkman Tietz.

They urged advisers to hold deeper conversations with clients before recommending trusts, arguing that technical checklists can miss goals tied to family history, values and lived experience, especially among African American families.

To open those conversations they proposed five questions: What does legacy mean to you; what opportunities do you want your children to have; what concerns you most about the future; what family values should be preserved; and what lessons do you want future generations to learn.

The article pairs that conversational framework with practical estate-planning options. Case studies cover heirs’ property solutions, legacy and dynasty trusts, donor-advised funds, charitable endowments, ethical wills and the use of precatory language to guide administrators while preserving flexibility.

Beamer argued many firms focus on transactions and tax details rather than building relationships. Seward recommended a relationship-based practice that gives clients space to explain context and build trust. Shenkman noted that planners should consider how cultural and religious backgrounds affect acceptance of strategies.

The advisers linked planning attitudes to historical and local examples. They cited the destruction of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, the Delmar Divide in St. Louis and different utility costs across neighborhood lines in Franklin, Virginia as reasons some clients associate finance with trauma.

The article includes data on gaps in homeownership, net worth and inheritance between Black and white households. The authors wrote that steady, relationship-focused planning across many advisers may improve how wealth transfers between generations and could reduce disparities over time.

Practical takeaways for advisers include slowing initial meetings, asking the five questions early in the relationship and using answers to shape technical recommendations so they align with family goals and values. They noted some clients assume trusts are only for the very wealthy; discussing emotions and history can change that view.

The presenters have scheduled additional webinars and have prepared follow-up material for advisers through Leimberg Information Services to help professionals apply the approach in practice.