Estate Settlement Officer

About the role

The Estate Settlement Officer assumes primary responsibility for administering post-death settlement accounts when U.S. Bank serves in a fiduciary capacity. This role manages settlement activities to meet client needs and expectations, supports timely and effective administration, and ensures compliance with applicable legal requirements, fiduciary standards, business line policies, and internal procedures.

The Estate Settlement Officer also assists with prospective and existing client opportunities involving potential post-death settlement matters, reviews matters for acceptance or refusal of a fiduciary role, and serves as a subject matter resource for colleagues on post-death settlement issues.

Responsibilities

• Reviews and interprets trust agreements, wills, and other estate planning documents where the bank is acting as trustee, executor, administrator, conservator, guardian, depositor, or agent.
• Coordinates information between clients, external attorneys, and internal specialists to ensure accurate, timely, and efficient estate settlement.
• Administers probate estates, post-death trusts, and other post-death fiduciary relationships to carry out the decedent’s objectives, comply with governing documents, uphold fiduciary administration principles, and serve the best interests of beneficiaries.
• Plans and coordinates settlement activities by identifying required actions, assigning responsibilities to appropriate internal and external resources, and monitoring progress through completion.
• Resolves fiduciary and compliance matters related to trust, tax, banking, investment, and compliance issues under relevant laws and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Maintains beneficiary and family relationships by meeting with family members and beneficiaries regularly to provide information, address questions, and support effective administration.
• Manages estate assets by arranging for the collection, valuation, retention, liquidation, transfer, or distribution of estate and trust assets, as appropriate.
• Coordinates specialty asset administration, including the valuation, management, liquidation, or transfer of complex and specialty assets in partnership with internal and external subject matter experts.
• Coordinates tax-related activity, including the preparation of federal and state tax filings in collaboration with internal tax experts and external professionals.
• Identifies and mitigates fiduciary, operational, legal, tax, and reputational risks and implements appropriate mitigation strategies throughout the settlement process.
• Manages external relationships with beneficiaries, family members, attorneys, advisors, accountants, court personnel, and other interested parties to facilitate effective administration and resolution of post-death settlement matters.
• Provides client-focused service by delivering a high level of service to external parties involved in post-death settlement administration.
• Ensures compliance with the U.S. Bank Code of Ethics and all applicable Anti-Money Laundering, Bank Secrecy Act, information security, suspicious activity reporting, account opening, corporate training, and business line requirements, policies, and procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree, or equivalent work experience.
• Eight or more years of personal trust and/or estate planning experience.

Skills

• Advanced knowledge of estate settlement, gifting, income, estate and multi-generational taxation, and trusts.
• Advanced knowledge of fiduciary services.
• Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to make critical decisions independently.
• Excellent writing, speaking, and presentation skills.

Benefits

• Healthcare (medical, dental, vision).
• Basic term and optional term life insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability.
• Pregnancy disability and parental leave.
• 401(k) and employer-funded retirement plan.
• Paid vacation (from two to five weeks depending on salary grade and tenure).
• Up to 11 paid holiday opportunities.
• Adoption assistance.
• Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 80 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law.

Pay

The salary range for this role is $118,170.00 - $144,430.00, based on the primary location. In addition to salary, U.S. Bank offers a comprehensive benefits package, including incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase, and 401(k) contribution and pension (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements).