FAQ’s – Wealth Management

No. However, the investment approach offered by Counsel Trust tends to add more value to portfolios exceeding three hundred thousand dollars.

Counsel Trust emphasizes low-cost ‘institutional’ mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from fund groups such as Vanguard or Dimensional (DFA). Private common trust funds managed by external specialists invest in individual stocks and bonds. Clients seeking a portfolio of individual securities can also opt for ‘separate account management’.

Portfolios can be managed passively, actively, or through a hybrid approach. Regardless of the style, an asset allocation plan is always followed.

Counsel Trust utilizes Northern Trust’s comprehensive investment research and asset allocation resources.

Client portfolios are monitored for risk and performance, compared to relevant benchmarks. Results are reported to clients on a quarterly basis.

Counsel Trust’s common trust funds are privately managed and available only to trust clients. Each fund is managed by an external advisor with expertise in specific asset classes, such as large-cap value, international, small-cap growth, or tax-free fixed income. These advisors typically have high minimum account size requirements and costs, making them unavailable to individual investors. Common trust funds avoid the emotional price fluctuations often seen in retail mutual funds due to public trading activity and offer some tax advantages.