Directed Trust Administration Services
In directed, ‘trust friendly’ states like Tennessee, trustees, attorneys and investment advisors have far more flexibility managing the many complexities of a trust. Tennessee trust laws have been significantly modernized and technology has advanced to a point where the administrative duties of managing a trust can be split from the investment management responsibilities.
No longer does an advisor’s client have to transfer their trust assets to a large bank with a revolving door of trust officers. Counsel Trust works with investment advisors, accountants and attorneys all over the country to deliver this new ‘bifurcated’ trust administration services model.
SEI is Counsel Trust’s trust back office accounting system. Through SEI, we establish a data link between the asset custodian and SEI. All trust activity is electronically transmitted via the data link necessary for full trust administration. From the advisor’s perspective, nothing changes. All management and trading efficiencies are maintained.
Baby boomer clients are planning their estates for the next generation. Trusts are a major component of well designed estate plans. But no estate plan, regardless of how well designed, will function properly unless it is managed efficiently.
Clients deserve the ability to retain their trusted advisors for investment, accounting and legal services, while obtaining separate (and superior) trust administration services. In an effort to preserve wealth in a trust, why should a client, who has established a trustworthy relationship with their investment advisor, accountant or attorney be obliged to move their assets to a large financial organization (often not even remotely close to their community)? Large banks rarely specialize in efficiency, nor do they specialize in customization or in open and timely communication.
Estate planning attorneys are charged with a sacred responsibility, creating a plan to protect hard earned assets for the benefit of clients’ beneficiaries, sometimes far into the future. Clients will often request that their attorney serve as a trustee of newly created trusts.
While attorneys have the expertise to serve as trustee, in most cases, they do not want the associated long term liability. A partnership with Counsel Trust Company is a perfect solution for attorneys who want to stay involved with trusts they help to create but who understand the perils of serving as an individual trustee.