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It is impossible to walk into a boardroom or client meeting without hearing the phrase “digital disruption.” And more likely, it is said a dozen times.
An increasing number of people, especially more mature and sophisticated clients, are looking for a one-stop-solution that addresses all of their concerns.
Yet, after 28 years working in financial services, I have not seen anything that disrupts the way advisors are offering estate planning. Sure, an iPad here, an app there, but that’s pedestrian these days. Nothing profoundly changed the landscape – until now.
I was excited to meet Gary Loftsgard, president and founder of Integrated Trust Systems (ITS), and learn about his eStatePlanTM that is transforming the industry. In partnership with Carter Wilcoxson, CEO and founder of CSI Financial Group (where I work), Gary created eStatePlanTM based on his 35 years of offering estate-planning services. They’re making estate planning and trusts available to the masses. Yes, estate planning and trusts are no longer the tools of the wealthy. ITS helps the mass affluent protect and manage their assets in a way that is as effective, fair and efficient as it is for millionaires and billionaires.
Gary founded ITS in 1985 with a specific purpose of providing a more efficient and cost-effective way to meet estate-planning objectives. The pursuit of that goal led to the development of a revolutionary estate-planning system that made high-quality products and services available to end-user clients through an inclusive financial and legal advisory network.
Having generated thousands of estate plans for clients in all 50 states, ITS confidently offers premium, cost-effective products and services enhanced by sophisticated design features and repeated vindications through real-life results. Moreover, ITS maintains a policy of ongoing corporate development that includes in-house research and product design, connecting with advanced estate-planning forums, connectivity with its legal network registry, and administrative service enhancements made available through select intermediaries.
ITS provides its clientele with quality, effective, and user-friendly estate planning products and services – through its professional alliances – at the highest level possible.
What does the future look like? I will leave you with some final thoughts by the creator of eStatePlanTM, Gary Loftsgard:
Digital transformation is disrupting various financial service industries at growth rates only a small percentage foresaw even just a few years ago. All of the components, particularly things like universal Internet access and cutting-edge software programming, are in place to help launch the next five years into what I believe will be a much greater exponential growth curve over what we are seeing even now.
Laptops, cell phones and the like have recently forced large commercial banks to become more like Internet banks. The "Amazonian" model has affected essentially every area of commerce; those who have been slow to adapt are already experiencing the pain. The massive but slow-to-change estate planning arena, as an example, exemplifies that paradigm and it is in for a major shaking. I predict that digital integration and powerful interfacing service modules between financial advisors, custodial/vendor institutions, and estate planning service parties will be a continuous overwhelming trend. There will be essentially no choice but to get onboard.
Anthony Solimini is head of advisory services for CSI Financial Group, a provider of marketing services for advisors and is based in Phoenix, AZ.
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