Mental Health and Estate Planning - What to Consider With Patricia Angus

Aug 3, 2022

Today, we are joined by Patricia Angus, Founder and CEO of Angus Advisory Group LLC. For more than 25 years, Patricia has provided legal and strategic advice to global families and firms with multi-generational businesses, trusts, and philanthropies. She and Arden discuss estate planning with mental health and addiction issues in mind. Patricia outlines the first steps that families need to take before starting their estate plans. She explains the important mix of legal and psychological training that advisors need to best serve their clients. Listen for insightful information and tools that families can use when they begin their estate plan preparation. 

 

IN THIS EPISODE: 

 

• [02:22] Learn about the Angus Advisory Group and how to create an estate plan with mental health and addiction issues in mind. 
• [05:50] Issues that advisors face when they work with clients who have substance use or mental health issues, plus information families need to share when planning their estate. 
• [10:20] What tools can families use to prepare for estate planning? 
• [12:29] What happens when families withhold important information?  
• [17:45] Siblings serving as trustees for their siblings' trust. 
• [22:15] The exciting legal future of supporting high net worth families. 

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:  

 

• If you are a trained lawyer, your education did not include psychological training. However, it behooves lawyers to get psychological training so they may better serve their clients. 
• The most important thing to do before scheduling any meetings to plan your estate is to engage in some soul-searching. Think about your values, goals, and the messages  you want to leave behind. 
• When assigning a trustee, make sure they have the right qualifications to do what trustees must do, which include three basic things. They have to administer, invest, and distribute the assets of the trust  they received from the grantor or set loan.  

 

BIO: 

Patricia M. Angus, JD, MIA, TEP: Founder and CEO, Angus Advisory Group LLC; Adjunct Professor, founding Managing Director of the Global Family Enterprise Program, and Faculty Director of Enterprising Families Executive Education, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. For over 25 years, she has provided legal and strategic advice to global families and firms with multi-generational businesses, trusts, and philanthropy. Publications include: The Beneficiary Primer: A Guide for Beneficiaries of Family Trusts and The Trustee Primer: A Guide for Personal Trustees. Advisory Boards of Trusts & Estates and the Carter Center. Fellow of and faculty member for FFI. Advanced Certificate in Family Wealth Advising and a Certificate in Family Business Advising from FFI. 2019 FFI Achievement Award in the Field of Family  

Enterprise, the Interdisciplinary Award. 

 

B.A. cum laude, Amherst College; Masters in International Affairs, Columbia University  

School of International and Public Affairs; J.D. George Washington University Law School 

 

https://angusadvisorygroup.com/ 

     

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pangus/ 

 

The Trustee Primer 

 

The Beneficiary Primer