Trust & Estate Fiduciary Services

Available Services

Personal Trust Services

Appointed Trustee or Co-Trustee to manage your trust assets in a fiduciary capacity. Our team of seasoned trust officers will provide the advantage of experience, resources, and independent administration. We also provide the service of Agent for an individual trustee to assist in administration.

Guardianships & Special Needs Trust Services

Appointed Guardian of Estate or Special Needs Trustee to manage the assets of your loved ones to the highest standards as expected by the court. We will work closely with family members and care managers to meet the specific needs of your family. Special Needs Trusts are a great tool to preserve assets while protecting benefits.

Investment Management & IRA Services

Personalized active management of investments that meet your unique needs and financial plan.

Estate Settlement

Appointed Executor or Trustee to carry out your wishes pursuant to your estate plan. We have experience in complex estate matters that includes, but is not limited to, businesses ownership succession, estate tax planning, and generational wealth transfer. We also provide the service of Agent for an individual Executor or Trustee to assist in the estate settlement process.

Custody & Special Asset Management Services

A placeholder for your investments of which you retain full power of trades. We will track cost basis, market valuations, and performance.

Illinois Land Trust Services

We will act as Trustee of your Illinois Land Trust which only holds Illinois real property.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

For more information visit:

• https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/
• https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/managing-someone-elses-money/

Common Questions about Trusts & Estates

Below are some common questions you may have that we can answer. Please contact Michael-Anne Peck, Jamie Shimer, or Roger Peters. We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

• I don’t have an estate plan. Do I need one? Where do I start?
• Do I need a trust if I don’t have any assets of value?
• I don’t know who should be my trustee or executor, any advice?
• I have an estate plan, but I have not recently reviewed it or I don’t understand it.
• What is a Land Trust, should I have one?
• I recently inherited an IRA, what do I do next?
• I recently inherited assets, what should I do now?
• What can I do to minimize estate taxes?
• I’m worried about the financial future of my disabled child, what can I do to prepare?
• I’m worried about the financial future of my adult child who is in an unstable marriage or does not know how to handle money, what can I do to protect them?

The Benefits of Having a Corporate Trustee or Executor

Benefits to having a Corporate Trustee or Executor:

• Expertise: A corporate Trustee provides professional handling of investment, tax, accounting and other aspects of trust administration. An individual who is not educated in these areas will not have the expertise necessary to appropriately handle an administration.
• Time:  Acting as a corporate trustee is time consuming. An individual Trustee may not have the time perform an adequate job.
• Money: Although an individual named as Trustee might be willing to serve without compensation, the resulting savings is often offset by the need to retain and compensate attorneys, accountants, investment advisors and other agents.
• Legal Knowledge: A corporate Trustee is trained to be knowledgeable concerning the laws and regulations that relate to the duties of a Trustee. It is unlikely a corporate trustee will need to hire an attorney to assist in the administration.
• Neutral: A corporate Trustee is a neutral party and can help keep family harmony. If an individual is acting as Trustee, they can be seen as “holding the purse strings” and other beneficiaries may become upset over the control that individual Trustee has.
• Liaison: If conflicts do arise between beneficiaries, a corporate Trustee can serve as a liaison between the quarreling family members.
• Impartiality: A corporate Trustee is unlikely to show favoritism to one or more beneficiaries while making decisions regarding investments or distributions.
• Longevity: A corporate Trustee will not die or become incapacitated, unlike an individual Trustee
• Regulated: A corporate Trustee is audited internally and by federal and state authorities.