Paul Edelman and Martin M. Shenkman provide commentary on how the language advisors use in meetings, letters, and file memoranda can move clients from merely approving an estate plan to truly owning it—particularly when the conversations involve the emotionally difficult terrain estate planning inevitably covers: mortality, incapacity, control, family conflict, and the readiness of beneficiaries.

In a family office, those capabilities can help clarify what a role truly requires, evaluate candidates more systematically, and consider how someone is likely to operate in a setting where judgment, discretion, and relationships carry unusual weight.

A look at how families can slow the decision down before it becomes a yes-or-no debate.