Practice area
Cybersecurity for Estate Planning & Trust Practices
An estate file is a complete financial dossier: account numbers, asset schedules, beneficiary identities, and family conflict, all in one place. Few documents in the legal industry are worth more to an attacker.
- Safeguards exposure for many firms
- GLBASafeguards exposure for many firms
- Client profiles attract targeting
- HNWClient profiles attract targeting
- Retention periods to protect
- DecadesRetention periods to protect
The data you are holding
Estate and trust matters aggregate exactly what identity-theft and extortion operations want.
- Full asset schedules, account numbers, and institution relationships
- Social Security numbers for grantors, trustees, and beneficiaries
- Trust instruments and powers of attorney usable for account takeover
- Long retention windows keeping sensitive files live for decades
GLBA and the FTC Safeguards Rule
Firms that provide financial planning-adjacent services, or that handle covered financial information for clients, can fall within FTC Safeguards Rule scope — which requires a written program, a named qualified individual, risk assessment, and periodic testing.
Long-horizon protection
Because estate files stay relevant for decades, we prioritize encryption at rest, defensible retention and disposal, and access controls that survive staff turnover.
Frequently asked questions
Are estate planning firms subject to the FTC Safeguards Rule?
Some are. The rule reaches entities significantly engaged in financial activities. Firms offering financial-planning-adjacent services should assume potential scope and build the written program, which is good practice regardless.
What about files we closed years ago?
Closed matters are still your obligation and still breachable. We review retention, disposal, and archive encryption as part of the engagement.
Related reading
Information Security Policy Template for Law Firms (2026): A WISP That Survives Audit, Insurance, and Client Review
Read guide Data SecurityLaw Firm Data Security: The Complete 2026 Guide to Protecting Client Information
Read guide Attorney File SharingSecure File Sharing for Attorneys: The 2026 Guide (Client Portals, Encryption & ABA Rule 1.6)
Read guideSee what your firm is exposing today
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