We are proud to present this month’s webinar “Introduction to Trusts”. Independent Trust’s Fran DeMaris will walk attendees through the ins and outs of trust terminology and help provide a better understanding of the purpose of having a trust account, and how it can benefit the family of the person who created it.  Being familiar […]

Identifying clients in your book of business that have or need a trust is a great way for advisors to retain and deepen hard earned relationships. It’s important to learn which clients are eligible for a trust in addition to identifying families that need help leaving a bad trustee relationship. Understanding clients who are involved with a […]

Being the executor of an estate is a big responsibility that is often a more complicated endeavor than many anticipate. We get many inquiries from current executors or those considering taking on the role so we created “So You Want To Be an Executor”- a yes/no questionnaire aimed to educate you on what is required […]

Clients don’t buy products or services, they buy solutions and results. A solution we provide that sets our firm apart is our coverage of Unique Assets. Independent Trust clients typically own stocks, bonds and other liquid investments, but also illiquid investments (a vacation property, a share of the family business, oil wells, a collection of antique cars, etc). Many firms decline […]

We know that establishing a trust is the best way to ensure your wealth is preserved for the generations to come but what happens after the trust is created and you’re still living? Do you appoint a corporate trustee right now? How do you stay in charge of your money while still setting the trust up […]

They say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” but when it comes to your trust, how do you gauge the success of its management?
 Your trust was created to provide for you today and ensure its success for tomorrow. This means that having the right trustee in place is essential. At minimum, your distributions […]

We aren’t shy about our belief that it is a conflict of interest to be both the trustee and the investment manager for a trust.  This is why we stick to administering personal trusts and deliver promptly on cash commitments, annual reviews, taxes, and statements. It’s also why we work with many financial advisors throughout […]

When working with clients, we often hear that they are uncomfortable talking about their trusts because “it’s just not something we talked about in our family”. We believe that communication is imperative to the successful management of your trust. This is a big part of our work with clients: getting clear on the intent of […]

As fifth generation trustees, we have seen it all. From family conflicts to the mismanagement of funds and the promises of others to be our financial savior, having a trust can easily become complicated. The one thing we know to be true? The company managing your trust can only have one priority: the management of […]