Estate Settlement Specialist

Plante Moran; Southfield (MI); On-site; USD 33,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Plante Moran is hiring for an estate settlement professional to support post-death administration. You will handle probate tasks, asset collection, valuation, debt settlement, and asset distribution per trust terms. The role emphasizes fiduciary and trust accounting knowledge and coordinating with legal and tax advisors.

The position is non-exempt and may require extended hours; strong communication and organizational skills are essential in a collaborative, client-focused environment.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of administrative or office support experience required.
• Paralegal experience preferred (estate settlement, probate, trust administration, financial planning, or estate planning).
• HS Diploma or GED required; undergraduate degree preferred (Business, Finance, Accounting, or Economics).

Responsibilities

• Perform and monitor most aspects of the estate settlement (post-death administration) process, including probate administration.
• Identify and collect assets owned by the decedent at time of death.
• Value assets as of date of death.
• Settle debts and pay valid claims and costs of administration.
• Distribute assets per the terms of the Trust.
• Understand fiduciary accounting and trust accounting system.
• Facilitate account opening/closing/transfer processes.
• Communicate with clients, vendors, and attorneys.
• Manage daily transactions and prepare receipts and disbursements.

Skills

Administrative experience

Paralegal exposure

Good judgement

Communication skills

Organization skills

Education

HS Diploma or GED

Undergraduate degree preferred

Job description

Count on us. Our "we-care" culture is more than just a motto; it's a promise. From day one, we prioritize your growth, well-being, and success. You can count on us to support your career journey and help you achieve your professional goals. Join us.

Your role.

Your work will include, but not be limited to:

• Perform and monitor most aspects of the estate settlement (post-death administration) process, including any probate administration, for the Trust Officer
• Identification and collection of assets owned by the decedent at the time of death
• Valuation of all assets as of date of death
• Settlement of all debts and payment of all valid claims and costs of administration
• Distribution of assets pursuant to the terms of the Trust
• Understand fiduciary accounting and trust accounting system
• Facilitate account opening/closing/transfer process
• Facilitate written and verbal communications between internal and external clients and vendors including distribution requests, documentation, client meetings and other matters
• Manage and monitor daily transactions and prepare receipts and disbursements
• Partner with Trust Officer to facilitate communication with clients alongside legal, tax, and financial advisors when necessary
• Share best practices with Trust team members, participate in team meetings, work on process improvement, and institutionalize practices and procedures
• Build relationships internally with Partners and Staff and externally with attorneys and other referral sources

The qualifications.

• 2+ years of administrative or office support experience required
• Paralegal experience preferred. Estate settlement, probate administration, trust administration, financial planning, or estate planning experience preferred.
• HS Diploma or GED equivalent required. Undergraduate degree preferred (preferably in Business, Finance, Accounting, or Economics).
• Ability to demonstrate good judgement
• Strong communication and organization skills

This is a non-exempt position, so you may have to work hours that exceed the standard 40-hour work week.

What makes us different?

On the surface, we’re one of the nation’s largest audit, tax, consulting, and wealth management firms. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll see what makes us different: we’re a relatively jerk-free firm (hey, nobody ‘s perfect) with a world-class culture, consistent recognition as one of Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” and an endless array of opportunities.At Plante Moran, diversity, equity and inclusion means that all staff members have equitable and fair opportunities to succeed, in an inclusive environment, with their individual, unique identities. So,what are you waiting for?

Plante Moran enjoys a “Workplace for Your Day” model which, simply put, means we strive for flexibility and balance while staying true to our principally in-person model. We believe that face-to-face interactions are paramount for individual and collective development, but also encourage individuals to work with their supervisor and team to determine their optimal working environment each day.

Plante Moran is committed to a diverse workplace.We strive to create a culture where each person feels accepted and valued. We believe that each person’s ultimate potential begins with first acknowledging their inherent dignity. When we can recognize — and celebrate — our many human differences, we’re able to create a workplace where all staff feel a sense of belonging and an opportunity to succeed. This allows us to attract and retain the best talent, serve clients through diverse thinking, and better represent and support the various communities in which we live and work.Plante Moran is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Plante Moran maintains a drug-free workplace.

The specific statements above are not intended to be all-inclusive.

We are pleased to offer eligible staff a robust benefits package. Eligibility and contribution requirements for some of these benefits vary based on the number of hours staff work per week.

• health
• dental
• vision
• disability
• life insurance
• Flexible Time Off
• pre-determined holidays
• a 401(k) plan
• flexible benefits plans
• business-related travel expense
• lodging
• meal reimbursement for business-related use
• a pension plan is also available for eligible administrative and paraprofessional staff
• a discretionary bonus plan is available for eligible staff
• the option to elect health insurance in addition to limited paid sick time

The compensation range reflects the base salary we reasonably expect to pay for this position across our offices in the following regions: CO, IL, OH, and MA. Please review the position description for the applicable geographic location. Generally, experienced hires are not hired at or near the maximum salary range, as compensation decisions take into account a wide variety of factors, including but not limited to: responsibilities, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and geography. For early career roles, including campus hires, we offer standardized, market-based starting salaries among individuals within the same hiring group. This approach ensures fairness and reflects current industry benchmarks for entry-level talent.

Under Colorado’s Job Application Fairness Act, you have the right to redact, from any documents that you submit in connection with your application, information that identifies your age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution. Should you wish to exercise your right to redact such information, please redact it prior to submitting documentation.

The compensation range for this role in CO, IL, OH, and MA is: $24.00 - $34.00

This application window is a good-faith estimate of the time that this posting will remain open. This deadline will be promptly updated if the deadline is extended.