Tax preparation
Review the type of estate or trust, relevant dates, income activity and filing responsibilities before preparing the returns included in the engagement.
Our services
Estate & Trust
Help executors, trustees and families organize the financial information needed for fiduciary reporting.
How we can help
Estate & Trust with a clear scope.
Estate and trust administration can involve unfamiliar records, several parties and multiple reporting questions. We help identify the tax and accounting work within our engagement and coordinate information with the responsible fiduciary and their other advisers.
Support for fiduciaries
Accounting records
Organize income, expenses, assets and distributions so the fiduciary can follow the financial activity and provide the supporting information needed for reporting.
Coordination with advisers
Work with the executor or trustee and, where authorized, the attorney or financial adviser so tax and accounting questions are raised with the appropriate professional.
Beneficiary information
Identify the beneficiary details and distribution records needed for applicable tax reporting. Accurate records help reduce follow-up and inconsistencies.
Bring the important records together
- The governing trust documents or estate information and the fiduciary’s contact details
- Prior returns, account statements and records of income and expenses
- Asset, sale and distribution information, with supporting documentation
- Correspondence or instructions from the attorney and any known deadlines
Start with scope and responsibilities
We discuss who is authorized to act, the reporting periods involved and what information is available. The engagement identifies the tax preparation or accounting services to be provided. Questions about legal interpretation, probate authority or the terms of a trust should be reviewed with the attorney.
Keep the work coordinated
Tell us about distributions, asset sales or other major changes before records are finalized. Early coordination helps the fiduciary understand the information needed and the sequence of the reporting work.
More ways we can help