You understand the money should sit in an attorney-managed account. What you cannot picture is the process. How it gets set up, what triggers a release, who is watching it along the way.
The process is more orderly than it sounds, and once you see the steps, the worry about the money disappearing into a black box goes with it.
Attorney-managed escrow is a process where pooled family funds are held by a licensed attorney in a trust account, such as an IOLTA account, and released only according to documented terms. The attorney manages the account and the disbursements under their professional rules. EstateCircle coordinates the setup and the surrounding paperwork. We do not hold, control, or release funds, we are not a law firm, and we do not give legal or financial advice.
01The escrow process, start to finish
The process has a clear shape. First the terms are documented: how much, from whom, and what conditions trigger a release. Then the attorney-managed account is set up. Funds go in, the attorney holds them under trust-account rules, and disbursements happen only as the documented terms allow.
At no point does any single family member, or EstateCircle, get to move the money on a whim. That structure is the entire point: neutrality and accountability built into the process.
The managing attorney holds and disburses the funds under their professional rules. EstateCircle coordinates paperwork and never controls the money.
02What the coordination involves
Our part is the documents and the connections, not the funds. We help the process move smoothly without ever touching the money.
- Document the termsCapture contribution amounts and the conditions for any release.
- Coordinate setupHelp arrange the attorney-managed escrow or IOLTA account with the managing attorney.
- Track the paperworkKeep the agreements and records organized in one place.
- Confirm disbursement termsMake sure the documented release conditions are clear to everyone.
03How EstateCircle helps
We coordinate the setup and prepare the surrounding documents so the escrow process is clearly recorded. It is document preparation and coordination only. The funds are held and disbursed by the managing attorney under their professional obligations, not by EstateCircle, and we do not advise you on the financial or legal terms.
All plans are document preparation and coordination, not legal advice. Third-party and government fees are billed separately.
- Connecticut Judicial Branch — Information on attorney trust accounts (IOLTA) and the rules that govern them. CT Judicial Branch
- Connecticut Bar Foundation — Background on IOLTA trust accounts and attorney-held client funds. CT Bar Foundation