Council authorizes legacy‑planning training for financial‑empowerment counselors

The Budget, Finance and Governance Committee approved an appropriation to add legacy‑planning guidance to services provided by the city’s Financial Empowerment Centers. The committee approved the measure by voice vote; it carried without recorded opposition.

City staff said the program will fund additional counselor training so staff can discuss components of a legacy plan — beneficiaries, wills, powers of attorney and health care proxies — while avoiding the unauthorized practice of law. “It will be additional training for the counselors, but not to give any legal advice,” an Office of Financial Empowerment staff member (Angela) said.

Staff described the effort as expanding the existing financial‑counseling model to include information and referral resources. Counselors will provide clients with information about what to consider and where to find free resources; staff said they will not “refer to any individual lawyers” and will provide multiple options if discussing paid services.

Discussion only: committee members expressed support and asked for a written operational definition of “legacy planning” and a written outline of the training scope and whether counselors will refer clients to lawyers. Direction: staff agreed to provide the requested written definitions and program scope. Formal action: committee approved the appropriation and training authorization.

The committee emphasized careful guidance to avoid the unauthorized practice of law and asked that the materials sent to council clarify exactly what counselors will and will not do.