Serving as trustee comes with a legal duty most investment managers aren’t built to support. This is a practice built specifically around that responsibility, for individual trustees, family members, and the attorneys and CPAs who advise them.
A trustee isn’t investing for themselves. They’re balancing the interests of current income beneficiaries against future remainder beneficiaries, under a legal standard that governs how prudently and carefully that has to be done.
Most advisors apply the same model portfolio to a trust account that they’d apply to any individual client. That approach misses what actually matters to a trustee: total-return investing that balances income and growth fairly across beneficiaries, careful documentation of the reasoning behind every decision, and a manager who understands that a trustee can be held personally accountable for how the portfolio is run.
We build trust portfolios around that reality, not around a generic model.
Balancing income and growth needs across income and remainder beneficiaries, rather than favoring one at the other’s expense.
Clear records of investment rationale and decisions: the kind of documentation a trustee can point to if their judgment is ever questioned.
Regular contact with the trust’s attorney and accountant, so tax treatment, distributions, and investment decisions stay aligned.
Where appropriate, disciplined use of options and income-generating positions to support distribution needs without reaching for unnecessary risk.
Statements built to make principal and income distinctions clear, not just a generic brokerage summary.
One point of contact for the life of the account. The same person who built the portfolio is the person you call.
Family members serving as trustee who want a manager that understands the legal weight of the role, not just the assets.
Trustees stepping into an existing trust who need a clear, documented approach from day one.
Professionals advising trustees who need a portfolio manager they can confidently bring into the relationship.
How we begin
Understanding the terms, the beneficiaries, and any specific investment provisions before proposing anything.
A short coordination call with the trust’s attorney or CPA when helpful, so everyone starts aligned.
A written proposal addressing income needs, risk, and the balance between beneficiaries.
Ongoing, direct management with regular, trust-aware reporting and documentation.
Yes, whenever the trustee wants that coordination. Many of the best trust relationships work as a team: attorney, CPA, and portfolio manager, each doing their part.
Through total-return investing rather than favoring current income at the expense of growth, or the reverse. The specific balance depends on the trust’s terms and the beneficiaries’ actual circumstances, which we review closely before proposing an approach.
No. We work closely alongside the trust’s attorney, but questions about your specific legal duties as trustee should always be directed to trust counsel. Our role is the investment management of the account.
This is best discussed directly, since it depends on the complexity of the trust and the overall relationship. Reach out and we can talk through fit.