Professional Executor Services
Financial Concierge™ provides impartial, professional executor services for families, busy professionals and older adults. We have the experience and expertise to settle estates efficiently in accordance with your loved one’s wishes.
We offer three professional executor services:
- Appointed Executor – Acting as the appointed executor, we manage and provide oversight on all estate administration responsibilities.
- Support your Executor – Support the executor, usually a family member or friend, as their agent to perform executor duties that require expertise or significant time and coach them on tasks they choose to perform themselves.
- Appointed as Administrator – We are appointed by the court as administrator of an estate when an individual dies intestate without a will.
Meet Jill Chambers, Founder and President of Financial Concierge™. Learn how successful estate settlement rests with your executor choice.
Whether you are choosing an executor, suddenly find yourself in an executor role, or are surprised to learn your loved one died with no will, success depends on your executor choice.
Your executor must be proficient in the following skills:
- Communication – ability to provide clear, timely communication to manage expectations, and a good facilitator to navigate family conflict
- Negotiation – ability to structure deals with creditors, work with insurers and other organizations to settle accounts
- Financial Acumen – adept at understanding financial matters related to money management, investments, tax, pension and insurance
- Regulatory Knowledge – understands filing requirements and deadlines for probate, asset valuation forms, tax returns
- Organization – ability to prioritize the multiple tasks associated with administering an estate and provide effective project management
- Collaboration – knows when to engage professionals like accountants, lawyers, investment advisors and insurance agents
- Resilient – ability to think clearly in times of stress and make decisions under pressure
- Good Judgment – ability to make decisions based on the deceased’s values and not on their own opinions
How we can help
We're an Alternative to Appointing Family or Friends
Professional executors administer estates for a living and are familiar with regulatory requirements and duties associated with estate administration. There are a variety of professional executor services available. Choosing the right one for you depends on the complexity of the estate, your situation, and your budget.
- Corporate Executors – are usually banks or trust companies with a team dedicated to managing high net worth, complex estates. Generally, there is a minimum asset requirement to qualify as a client, and fees are a combination of a percentage of estate value, plus ongoing administration charges.
- Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee – is a government agency that assumes stewardship of an estate as its trustee when the deceased dies without a will or intestate. Fees are usually a percentage of estate value, plus ongoing administrative charges. Often the settlement process takes longer than other options.
- Professional Executors – are a variety of qualified individuals who administer estates for a living. Some lawyers or accountants will assume this role, however, most are financial services individuals with estate management certifications, such as a CEA (Certified Executor Advisor). Fees can vary greatly, depending on the individual chosen.
Advantages of a Professional Executor
Some key advantages of hiring a professional executor:
When an executor is also a beneficiary of the estate balancing their own interest with the needs of creditors, beneficiaries and other interested parties can be challenging. A third party who has no personal relationship with the deceased can act impartially and be held accountable to execute the deceased’s Will exactly as instructed.
They have credentials and experience to settle estates with accuracy, speed and precision, the resources to take on the time-consuming and challenging role of executor, and access to a network of over 17 different professionals involved in estate administration.
If the executor lives outside of Canada there could be negative tax consequences for the estate, and in some provinces, an out of province executor must secure the assets of the estate with a surety bond. Professional executors offer team members in multiple provinces to avoid these complications and better manage the sale of physical assets.
When it comes time for your appointed executor to assume the role a lot can change. They may no longer want the responsibility, or may have moved out of the country or died. A professional executor can provide stability. They have team members at the ready to assume the role to provide consistency throughout the estate settlement process.
They are liable for any mistakes made while managing the estate. Most family members and friends are inexperienced in estate administration and are unaware of the liability they assume when accepting the role. Professional executors understand this risk and protect themselves and the beneficiaries with liability insurance.
It’s difficult when someone is grieving to assume a role for which they may be inexperienced and unprepared. This added stress can lead to mistakes and cause financial consequences for the beneficiaries. A professional executor unburdens grieving family and friends.
The Financial Concierge™ Advantage
At Financial Concierge our passionate dedicated team provides our clients with personalized, efficient and timely estate administration services. As professional executors, we offer added value by focusing on:
- Earning Trust – We strive to earn your trust placing our fiduciary responsibility at the centre of our work to represent our clients’ best interests.
- Frequent Communication – We provide frequent updates to all stakeholders to manage expectations and respect the grieving family members’ need for information.
- Sense of Urgency – We understand the need for urgency and work with purpose to get assets distributed as soon as possible.
- Ongoing Education – Our Professional Executors are Certified Executor Advisors (CEA), hold other accreditations within the financial services industry, and stay current by participating in ongoing industry certified education courses.
- Affordable Option – We have no minimum asset threshold for clients. Our competitive pricing is based on a percentage of estate value, with half charged up front and the balance when the estate is settled.
Connect With Us
As a fiduciary, the Financial Concierge™ team holds a position of trust with our clients. We specialize in providing professional executor services and estate administration support.
You can get in touch with us by going to our Contact Us page and using our Contact Us form. We look forward to connecting with you!
From The Blog
Get helpful information from our articles and client stories posted by our founder Jill Chambers
Outdated Beneficiaries Could Blow Up Your Estate Plan
Have you reviewed your beneficiary designations lately? Do those designations in your life insurance and financial accounts coordinate with your will? Learn 3 reasons why outdated beneficiaries can blow up your estate plan.
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
It’s Make a Will month in Ontario reminding us all on the importance of making a will. An expression of caring, a will outlines your intent to protect your loved ones. Here’s 3 reasons why you should prioritize this task as urgent.
How to Build an Exceptional Estate Plan
Does your estate plan only include a will and power of attorney documents? Learn how to elevate your plan from basic to exceptional. Discover 10 elements that prepare you for the future and protect your legacy.
Penny Wise, Pound Foolish – The High Cost of Avoiding Estate Planning
Are you setting the stage for significant financial and emotional costs by not having an estate plan? Creating one may seem daunting and expensive, but avoiding it can cost more. Learn 3 costs of not having an estate plan.
Probate by Design
In Canada probate fees, also known as estate administration tax, can be avoided if you’re smart when designing your estate plan. Learn how you can avoid probate fees.
Team Up to Age in Place with Ease
Most of us want to age in our own homes with grace and on our terms.This article helps you identify when a support team is required and the resources available to help you age at home safely.