How Does a Corporate Trustee Differ From a Family Member?

Estate Planning, Finance, Trusts / Corporate Trustee, Estate Planning, Financial Planning, St. Petersburg, Trusts

Most of us consider naming a friend or relative with a background in finance or law to be a trustee for our family, but there is an alternative that is important to consider.

A corporate trustee will have a very different approach to managing a trust, and depending on your situation, may be a far better choice than a family member or friend. They’ll bring sound investment management skills and knowledge, minus the distractions of emotions.

The Dallas Business Journal’s recent article, “Fiduciary investment management and corporate trustees,” explains that one of the many benefits of appointing a corporate trustee, is that they are held to a fiduciary standard of care when managing a trust investment portfolio. That means that they’re legally required to place their client’s interests above their own when making investment decisions. While this may seem like a no-brainer, it’s not the rule for all financial professionals.

While an individual trustee is held to the same fiduciary standard of care, they often don’t possess the same level of professional investment expertise and resources that a corporate trustee does.

There are a few factors to consider from an investment standpoint, when selecting a corporate trustee. The most important consideration is that a corporate trustee should take the time to do an in-depth analysis to fully understand the client’s short-term and long-term goals, as well as the clients’ current situation and foreseeable liquidity needs and risk tolerance. This will give the trustee the necessary foundation, upon which to build a prudent and diversified investment portfolio.

Deciding on the right investment allocation is just the initial step in the continuing process of managing the investment portfolio appropriately. In addition to looking at an investment’s historical performance, he or she should perform ongoing research and oversight to gather information and implement decisions, based on the future economic outlook with respect to current market conditions. The trustee should practice due diligence in implementing any new investments and continue overseeing a client’s existing investments to be certain the objectives continue to be in sync with those of the trust.

Everyone’s circumstances change, and developing a close relationship with the chosen trustee, and keeping the trustee up-to-date about important events and happenings will help ensure the trust is able to support the beneficiaries in a time of need, while still being able to accomplish long-term goals.

Before you select a corporate trustee, conduct in-depth research on the bank or trust company. Understand their fee structure from the beginning to the end of their appointment. Get a clear picture of how the organization works and whether or not you and your heirs will be comfortable with the institution, as well as the individuals involved.

Reference: Dallas Business Journal (September 24, 2018) “Fiduciary investment management and corporate trustees”

Teach Your Children Early About Retirement Planning

Finance, Retirement Planning / Financial Planning, Retirement Planning

Most young adults are not thinking about retirement when they get their first jobs, but starting early, even if on a very small scale, can make a big difference.

Most young adults are not thinking about retirement when they get their first jobs, but starting early, even if on a very small scale, can make a big difference.

When you are working to pay off student loans and trying to save enough to get a place of your own, retirement takes a backseat, saysThe Milwaukee Community Journal, “How parents can help their kids with retirement.” About 66% of millennials haven’t set aside any money for retirement, according to a report from the National Institute on Retirement Security. However, parents can counsel their young adult children on how and why to start a retirement plan now, before it gets to be an issue. Many workers early in their careers think retirement isn’t worth considering because it’s so far off, and they have other obligations. But getting a late start is a big mistake, because they’re missing out on years of compounding returns.

Here are five tips parents can give their young adult children to help them to begin planning for retirement:

Get Going. Explain the importance of starting retirement savings when the new job starts. Although their beginning salary is low, and they have bills, they need to make saving a disciplined habit. Start small.

Understand the Basics.Linking retirement planning’s importance to a new job gives a child the opportunity to get ahead financially and can instill pride in learning some retirement basics. Young workers should learn the purpose of target-date funds, which automatically adjust how a person’s money is invested, based on their age and how near they are to retirement.

Jump on the 401(K).With pensions all but gone, kids should understand this great way to save and the importance of a 401(k) company match.

Up Contributions Over Time.You should save between 10-15% of your pay for retirement. That is usually a lot for someone in their 20s, but you can work toward it by increasing your contribution by one or two percentage points every time you get a raise.

Stay on an Honest Budget.Help them learn to budget money with three categories: give, save, and spend. This will help them to learn how rewarding it is to set a savings goal and to regularly put aside money to reach it. This is the basis for successful retirement investing.

It’s easier to understand the importance of saving for retirement, when it is around the corner. That makes parents the best candidates to talk with their children about getting an early start on retirement investing. It can also segue into a larger discussion about parental finances and estate planning. These are all important conversations.

Reference: Milwaukee Community Journal(June 13, 2018) “How parents can help their kids with retirement”

Making a Financial Plan? Watch Out for These Mistakes

Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Finance / Asset Protection, Estate Planning, Financial Planning, Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), Tax Planning

A failure to plan is a big reason why many people’s financial goals are missed, year after year, until it’s too late to fix things.

You wouldn’t fly a plane without a flight plan. The same is true for a financial plan. You need to know where you want to go, and how you are going to get there.

A failure to plan is a big reason why many people’s financial goals are missed, year after year, until it’s too late to fix things. Those who succeed in investing, are more likely to be people who create and follow a long-term, well-thought out financial plan.

Arecent article in Forbes, “3 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making A Financial Plan,”describes these miscues:

Not Creating a Comprehensive Plan. A major error most people make when creating a financial plan, is that their plan is too narrow. A sound financial plan is comprehensive in nature and covers all areas of your life, rather than only a single area like an investment portfolio. It should address tax issues, risk management, estate planning, and long-term care needs. These are all vital when creating a solid long-term financial plan.
Creating a Balanced Portfolio but Never Re-Balancing. Another frequent mistake people make is creating a balanced portfolio—and then not re-balancing it on a regular basis. You should maintain the portfolio balance, as the market ebbs and flows. The original portfolio can and will change over time, as events like market rallies naturally increase overall equity exposure, or retirees take required minimum IRA distributions that may cause an over- or underweight to equities.
No Follow-Through. The third mistake commonly committed by investors when creating a financial plan, is that they spend time creating their plan, but they don’t follow-through and act. You must implement your plan.

These are far from the only classic investment mistakes that people commonly make. Others are selling into a down market, failing to follow through their financial plans, trying to time market swings and reacting to short term trends. Create a financial plan with the long-term in mind, execute the plan and remember that a portfolio needs tending like a garden, as you proceed through the seasons of life.

Reference: Forbes(April 6, 2018) “3 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Making A Financial Plan”