TrusTerminator, Version 11.0

TrusTerminator, Version 11.0

Cowles Legal Systems Inc.’s TrusTerminator, Version 11.0 is an updated and effective post-mortem estate practice program.

Available free standing or as part of the entire Cowles System, TrusTerminator fully incorporates into the efficient and time-saving strategies marketed by Cowles.

Having previously reviewed the Cowles Trust Plus program, I thought TrusTerminator would be more of the same. What I found is TrusTerminator is an independent program that is mature and stable, complete and thorough. It’s both an integral part of the Cowles System as well as an effective standalone program.

Especially unique to this type of program is the thoroughness of the post-mortem paper trail.

It’s clear the design of the software is tailored to the needs of the estate practitioner, with careful attention to the multiple facets of the post-mortem process. People who are familiar with this type of legal work and want to maintain quality document production for multiple levels of client needs, created this software.

Trust termination is a detail-oriented process, as close as many attorneys come to pure math and accounting. However, unlike pure accounting, termination of a trust isn’t limited to production of a mathematical account of the trustee’s activities. A significant

volume of correspondence is incumbent on counsel, and it’s in the quality of this document production that the high standards of the Cowles product are most visible.

It would be impossible in this article to list the numerous documents produced by TrusTerminator; suffice it to say that if I printed every document available, more than a ream of paper would fall by the wayside. It’s not quantity, however, but quality and accuracy that are most important, and I was pleased to produce complete, error-free documents with TrusTerminator time after time.

I particularly liked the tone and language used by the program in its correspondence. Each letter succinctly and accurately addressed the issues raised, sounding neither imperious and condescending (as some document production programs can) nor simplistic. You can produce letters, releases, disclaimers, legal filings, accountings, inventories and IRS forms from within the program.

One of the most intelligent features of the program is its categorization of the trust termination process. With no less than 16 different menu choices detailing the intricate steps of the termination scheme, the program prepares you for client meetings and correspondence with ease.

You begin by creating a session for a new client and proceed to the entry of merge information. Here, there are multiple tabs delineating specific information the program will use throughout document generation. You easily can move forward when you are missing information and fill in the blanks later. Important to note here is the critical dates tab, which brings your attention to important tax dates. Additionally, a contact list is contained within the program. A session journal where you can keep track of conversations with clients, beneficiaries and others is accessible from almost anywhere within the program.

Another practical feature is the ability to generate multiple documents and checklists so the trustee can come to your meeting well-prepared. Included with the package is the Cowles Master Task Checklist, intended to guide you through the information-gathering process. With a properly completed checklist, staff members can perform most of the data entry, with the attorney finalizing documents drafted by the program. Alternatively, as a solo practitioner, I found the checklist an easy way to organize the file, and I was exceptionally pleased with final documents as they were produced by my word processor, including IRS and court forms.

An enhanced feature from previous versions is the ability to override phrases in the library and thereby create custom forms even more tailored to your practice and jurisdiction. You can save these changes as you install updates to the system.

For the serious estate practitioner, TrusTerminator can be an invaluable addition to your office technology. The Cowles System is a practice management system, intended for the estate planner who uses technology to make his or her practice more efficient, cost productive, and most importantly, responsive to client needs. Certainly you can rely on TrusTerminator to assist you in properly concluding a decedent’s affairs in a professional manner.

At press time, Cowles Legal Systems released TrusTerminator Version 12.0. New features include tools to customize your documents, tutorial CD and seamless integration into the complete Cowles system.

Cowles Legal Systems Inc.
(800) 366-1730
www.cowleslegal.com

Price: $2,990; annual licensing thereafter $1,495; $4,990 for entire Cowles System (includes TrusTerminator and Trust Plus).

Windows 98 or higher.

Reviewed by Denise P. Ward, Esq., Grean & Ward, Port Chester, N.Y.

Oct/Nov '02 Issue

PROS
Professional document production, efficient and time saving. Reflects careful production by the software manufacturer.

CONS
Pricey if you are not a regular estate practitioner.

VERDICT
I recommend it for the estate practitioner. It’s thorough and complete. If estate work is only part of your practice, this might be more than you need.