This is an updated list of software that was originally published as an appendix to my book Wills, Trusts, and Technology, published by the American Bar Association and now in its second edition.
In addition to updating names, publishers, and contact information, I have attempted to identify the type of software (or service) or platform on which the software runs. Most software is still in the Windows desktop (or laptop) environment, but the program identified as “Web Browser” are “cloud computing” systems that run on remote servers and are accessible through a web browser running on any device, including tablets and “smart phones.”
Estate Planning
Estate Tax Calculations and Illustrations
The following systems can illustrate one or more estate planning strategies and recommendations, through tax and financial calculations and projections and sometimes through charts and graphs.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNA Estate & Gift Tax Planner | Windows | Bloomberg BNA Software | (800) 424-2938 | www.bnasoftware.com |
| CCH FinEst Calcs | Web Browser | Wolters Kluwer CCH Group | (888) 224-7377 | www.cchgroup.com |
| Estate Planning Tools; Kugler Estate Analyzer | Windows | Brentmark Software | (800) 879-6665 | www.brentmark.com |
| Leimberg's Estate Planning QuickView; NumberCruncher | Windows | Leimberg & LeClair, Inc. | (610) 924-0515 | www.leimberg.com |
| Onesource Estate Planner Tool Box (Zcalc) | MS Excel | Thomson Reuters | (800) 331-2533 | tax.thomsonreuters.com |
| Webcalculators | Web Browser | HDS iSystems LLC | (215) 233-1887 | wcalcs.com |
Charitable Tax Calculations and Illustrations
The following systems can illustrate the tax consequences of charitable giving, either lifetime or testamentary, usually through split-interest trusts (charitable remainder trusts or charitable lead trusts).| Program | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charitable Financial Planner | Windows | Brentmark Software | (800) 879-6665 | www.brentmark.com |
| Charitable Tax Proposal (CresEstate); Comprehensive Gift Plans (CresPro) | Web Browser | Crescendo Interactive | (800) 858-9154 | www.crescendointeractive.com |
| NumberCruncher | Windows | Leimberg & LeClair, Inc. | (610) 924-0515 | www.leimberg.com |
| OneSource Estate Planner Tool Box (zCalc) | MS Excel | Thomson Reuters | (800) 331-2533 | tax.thomsonreuters.com |
| Planned Giving Manager | Windows; Web Browser | PG Calc Inc. | (888) 497-4970 | www.pgcalc.com |
| Tiger Tables | WIndows | Tiger Tables Software | (314) 552-6187 | www.tigertables.com |
Retirement Planning
These systems will calculate taxes and present or future values for retirement benefits| Program | Platform | Publisher | Telephone | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NumberCruncher | Windows | Leimberg & LeClair, Inc. | (610) 924-0515 | www.leimberg.com |
| OneSource Estate Planner Tool Box (Zcalc) | MS Excel | Thomson Reuters | (800) 331-2533 | tax.thomsonreuters.com |
| PenD'Calc | Windows | Clarity Software | (800) 766-7327 | www.pendcalc.com |
| Retirement Plan Analyzer; Retirement Distributions Planner; PFP Notebook | Windows | Brentmark Software | (800) 879-6665 | www.brentmark.com |
Other Tax-Related Calculations
The systems below can perform different kinds of calculations that might be useful in estate planning or estate and trust administration, such as actuarial valuations under IRC section 7520, or calculations of interest (or penalties) on underpayments of tax.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate Planning Tools | Windows | Brentmark Software | (800) 879-6665 | www.brentmark.com |
| NumberCruncher | Windows | Leimberg & LeClair, Inc. | (610) 924-0515 | www.leimberg.com |
| OneSource Estate Planner Tool Box (Zcalc) | MS Excel | Thomson Reuters | (800) 331-2533 | tax.thomsonreuters.com |
| Tiger Tables | Windows | Tiger Tables Software | (314) 552-6187 | www.tigertables.com |
| Webcalculators | Web Browser | HDS iSystems LLC | (215) 233-1887 | wcalcs.com |
Will, Trust, and Other Forms
Almost every legal publisher with forms for wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other estate planning documents will include electronic versions of the forms that can be edited. The systems below will assemble customized forms of documents in accordance with user specifications.| Program | Platform | Publisher | Telephone | Web Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL: Drafting Libraries | Windows | Attorney's Computer Network, Inc. | (610) 347-1500 | www.draftinglib.com |
| Estate Planning Software | Windows | National Software Incorporated | (480) 706-6474 | www.lawfirmsoftware.com |
| Estates and Trusts Forms Manual | Windows | Knowles Publishing Inc. | (800) 299-0202 | www.knowlespublishing.com |
| Lawgic Wills & Trusts (State Neutral and Selected States) | Windows | Lawgic LLC | (877) 252-9442 | www.lawgic.com |
| ProDoc Legal Forms Software (CA, FL & TX) | Windows | Thomson Reuters | (800) 759-5418 | www.prodoc.com |
| Wealth Transfer Planning | Windows, Windows Server | Interactive Legal Systems | (888) 315-0872 | www.ilsdocs.com |
| West Form Builder | Web Browser | Thomson Reuters | legalsolutions.thomsonreuters.com/ law-products/solutions/ legal-forms/form-builder |
Document Drafting Systems
The following systems are document drafting "engines" or "shells" which lawyers can use to automate their own forms.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GhostDraft | Undetermined | GhostDraft Inc. | (855) 776-2016 | www.ghostdraft.com |
| HotDocs | Windows, Windows Server | HotDocs Corporation | (800) 500-3627 | www.hotdocs.com |
Estate and Trust Administration
Probate Forms
Software to generate petitions for probate, inventories, notices to beneficiaries or creditors, and other local forms are available from some publishers.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lackner Quik PA Probate Forms | Windows | Lackner Group, Inc. | (800) 709-1041 | www.lacknergroup.com |
| LexisNexis Automated Forms (Matthew Bender) | Web Browser | LexisNexis | (888) 285-3947 | store.lexisnexis.com/ categories/shop-products/ automated-forms--190 |
| ProbatePlus (FL & MA) | Web Browser | EstateWorks | (978) 461-1200 | www.estateworks.com |
| Quick & Easy Forms (Selected States) | Windows | DataTech Software, Inc. | (800) 556-7526 | www.quickandeasy.com |
Fiduciary Accounting
The following programs can be used to account for receipts and disbursements during the administration of an estate, as well as generate a fiduciary accounting for filing in court.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-in-1 Estate Administration Program | FileMaker (Windows, Mac OSX, some networks) | Lackner Computer Group, Inc. | (800) 709-1041 | www.lacknergroup.com |
| Fiduciary Accounting System for Trusts and Estates Reporting (FASTER) | Web Browser, Services | FASTER Systems, LLC | (508) F88-2034 | www.fastersystems.com |
| Gillett Estate Management Suite (GEMS) | Windows | Gillett Publishing LLC | (970) 667-6223 | www.gillettpublishing.com |
| OneSource Trust & Estate Software | Web Browser | Thomson Reuters | (201) 356-6409 | tax.thomsonreuters.com/ onesource/trust-estate |
| TEdec Fiduciary Accounting System | Windows | TEdec Systems, Inc. | (800) 345-2154 | www.tedec.com |
Asset Valuations
The following software (or on-line services) fall into two areas: software (or services) to value marketable securities, and software to help value closely held businesses.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appraise | Windows, Web Browser | Evaluations Services, Inc. | (888) 374-4706 | www.appraisenj.com |
| Estate Planning Tools | Windows | Brentmark Software | (800) 879-6665 | www.brentmark.com |
| EstateVal | Windows | Estate Valuations & Pricing Systems, Inc. | (800) 237-3440 | www.evpsys.com |
| NumberCruncher | Windows | Leimberg & LeClair, Inc. | (610) 924-0515 | www.leimberg.com |
Death Tax Return Preparation
Some of these programs are integrated with fiduciary accounting software, and some can prepare state death tax returns as well as the federal Form 706.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNA Estate & Gift Tax 706 Preparer | Windows | Bloomberg BNA Software | (800) 424-2938 | www.bnasoftware.com |
| Form 706 Series | Windows | Drake Software | (800) 890-9500 | www.drakesoftware.com |
| Fiduciary Accounting System for Trusts and Estates Reporting (FASTER) | Web Browser, Services | FASTER Systems, LLC | (508) 588-2034 | www.fastersystems.com |
| OneSource Trust and Estate Software | Web Browser | Thomson Reuters | (800) 331-2533 | tax.thomsonreuters.com/ onesource/trust-estate |
| Gillett Estate Management Suite (GEMS) | Windows | Gillett Publishing LLC | (970) 667-6223 | www.gillettpublishing.com |
| Quick and Easy Forms | Windows | DataTech Software, Inc. | (800) 556-7526 | www.quickandeasy.com |
| Quik 706; Lackner Quik PA-1500 | FileMaker (Windows, Mac OSX, some networks) | Lackner Computer Group, Inc. | (800) 709-1041 | www.lacknergroup.com |
| TEdec Fiduciary Accounting System | Windows | TEdec Systems, Inc. | (800) 345-2154 | www.tedec.com |
Gift Tax Return Preparation
The following programs go beyond simple fill-in-the-blanks and can perform a variety of tax calculations, such as calculations of the "optimum" marital deduction. Some of these programs are integrated with fiduciary accounting software, and some can prepare state death tax returns as well as the federal Form 706.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNA Estate & Gift Tax 709 Preparer | Windows | Bloomberg BNA Software | (800) 424-2938 | www.bnasoftware.com |
| Fiduciary Accounting System for Trusts and Estates Reporting (FASTER) | Web Browser, Services | FASTER Systems, LLC | (508) 588-2034 | www.fastersystems.com |
| Gillett Estate Management Suite (GEMS) | Windows | Gillett Publishing LLC | (970) 667-6223 | www.gillettpublishing.com |
| OneSource Trust and Estate Software | Web Browser | Thomson Reuters | (800) 331-2533 | tax.thomsonreuters.com/ onesource/trust-estate |
| Quick and Easy Forms | Windows | DataTech Software, Inc. | (800) 556-7526 | www.quickandeasy.com |
| Quik 709 | FileMaker (Windows, Mac OSX, some networks) | Lackner Computer Group, Inc. | (800) 709-1041 | www.lacknergroup.com |
Fiduciary Income Return Preparation
The following programs go beyond simple fill-in-the-blanks and can perform a variety of tax calculations, such as allocations of distributable net income among beneficiaries. Some of these programs are integrated with fiduciary accounting software, and some can prepare state income tax returns as well as the federal Form 1041.| Program(s) | Platform | Publisher | Telephone# | Web Site URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-in-1 Estate and Trust Administration | Filemaker (Windows, Mac OSX, and some networks) | Lackner Computer Group, Inc. | (800) 709-1041 | www.lacknergroup.com |
| ATX / TaxWise Online / TaxWise | Windows, Web Browser | Wolters Kluwer, CCH Small Firm Services | (800) 375-9542 | www.cchsfs.com |
| Fiduciary Accounting System for Trusts and Estates Reporting (FASTER) | WIndows, Services | Faster Systems, LLC | (508) 347-0195 | www.fastersystems.com |
| Form 1041 Series | Windows | Drake Software | (800) 890-9500 | www.drakesoftware.com |
| Onesource Trust & Estate Software | Web Server | Thomson Reuters | (201) 356-6409 | www.thomsonreuters.com |
