Understanding Corporate Trustees

A corporate trustee is a bank trust department or trust company. They can help you build, manage and protect your wealth when you put your assets in a trust.

A trust is simply a legal document that lets you reduce unnecessary legal fees, save taxes and keep control over your assets while you are living, if you become physically or mentally incapacitated, and after you die.

When you set up a trust, you need to name someone (a trustee) to manage the assets your trust controls. While you can choose just about any adult, there are very good reasons why you should consider a corporate trustee.
 

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Charitable Remainder Trusts

A CRT lets you convert a highly appreciated asset (stock, real estate, etc.) into lifetime income. It reduces your income taxes now and estate taxes when you die, and you pay no capital gains tax when the asset is sold. Plus, it lets you help a charity(ies) that has special meaning to you.

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Understanding the Duties and Responsibilities of a Successor Trustee

If you have been named as the successor trustee in someone's living trust, you may be wondering what you are supposed to do. You can relax a bit, because you don't do anything right now. You will only begin to act when the person becomes unable to manage his or her financial affairs due to incapacity, or when he or she dies.

However, it is important that you know ahead of time what your duties and responsibilities will be. These FAQs will help. Let's start with some explanations.

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