Estate planning at Edelman Financial

Yes, for non-retirement investment accounts. Your EFE financial planner coordinates the retitling process with the custodian (Schwab, Fidelity, or Axos). You will need to provide a certified copy of the trust agreement or Certificate of Trust, government-issued ID for all trustees, and the trust tax identification number. Retirement accounts (IRAs, 401(k)s) cannot be titled to a trust.

EFE charges an annual advisory fee based on a percentage of total investable assets. The maximum annual fee is 1.75%, with the percentage decreasing as the amount of wealth under management increases. The wrap fee covers financial planning, investment management, and brokerage execution. Workplace 401(k) managed account fees vary by plan.

Yes. EFE provides estate planning services as part of its holistic financial planning offering, covered under the standard advisory fee. Services include a review of wills, trusts, and other estate documents to identify gaps or risks, estate tax mitigation strategies, and beneficiary designation review. EFE does not draft legal documents but connects clients with attorneys in their area.

EFE does not publicly disclose a fixed minimum investment amount. Fees are based on a percentage of total investable assets, and the percentage tier changes based on how much wealth is being managed. Contact an EFE financial planner at (833) 752-6333 for details on minimums and fee schedules. For workplace 401(k) managed accounts, eligibility depends on whether your employer offers the EFE managed account option.

Because EFE does not custody assets, beneficiary designations are updated through your custodian (Schwab, Fidelity, or Axos) for retail accounts, or through your employer plan recordkeeper for workplace 401(k)/403(b)/457(b) accounts. Contact your EFE financial planner at (800) 601-5957 and they will coordinate the update with the custodian and document it in your financial plan. You can also log in to the custodian platform directly to make changes.

Yes. Although IRAs cannot be retitled to a trust, you can name a revocable living trust or other qualifying trust as a primary or contingent beneficiary of a Traditional, Roth, Rollover, SEP, or SIMPLE IRA. Beneficiary designations are processed through the custodian (Schwab, Fidelity, or Axos). Discuss SECURE Act distribution rules with your EFE financial planner and your estate attorney before naming a trust as beneficiary, since required minimum distribution rules differ from naming an individual.