For Professionals

Including Attorneys, Accountants or Independent Financial Professionals

Kevin Stiles, Senior Trust Advisor
Marc Cusano, VP, CFO, Trust Executive
Tim Borchers, President, Trust Executive
Paul Cusano, Tax Consultant

Through decades of law practice, we have learned that being a good trust lawyer is different from being a good trustee. The estate planner deals in abstracts and feel-good goals. The rubber hits the road however when the lawyer, accountant or independent financial advisor has to serve as the trustee.

At the time of appointment or at the disability, death, or resignation of the previous trustee, suddenly the theory you know so well has to be put into action. It’s like the teacher who has to stop talking and start doing or the coach who has to join the team on the field

We, like most estate planning lawyers simply jumped in with both feet and started wearing the trustee hat. Now, with a history of serving as trustees, executors, power of attorney agents and health care agents, we can help those who prefer to avoid this work or who want help getting started.

Northeast Private Trustees supports attorneys, accountants and other professionals in estate and trust administration, including systems, tax preparation, accounting, case consulting, and more.

 

 

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At Northeast Private Trustees, our trust executives and officers understand what it means to apply theory to real-life situations.

You may not have the time, the interest, the process, or even the patience to be the trustee. You may want to serve as a trustee, but need back-office support. A company that provides the service but is not in “competition” with you professionally may be the answer. 

Services for Trustee Professionals

Services like financial reviews, accounting and tax preparation can be daunting. Common but tedious administrative tasks like preparing to sell a home you don’t live in, running or selling a business, and managing a portfolio is beyond the experience of most persons, professional or not.

Tending to the needs of beneficiaries who need and deserve close attention and who sometimes resent having a trustee administering their assets and inheritance is difficult and trying work. It can seem to the trustee that nothing the trustee does is good enough, fast enough, or cheap enough.

    1. Initial consultations with clients and advisors, creating checklists of action plan
    2. “Deep dives” into the details of managing the estate or trust
    3. Ongoing coaching and client or beneficiary meetings.
    1. Accounting and organizational tools, forms, and possibly software
    2. Portfolio review and advice from a CFP® affiliate
    3. Evaluation of estates and trusts, and performance of back-office duties for the estates and trusts. The evaluation could include issue spotting, creating checklists, how to price the services, and an accounting set up, but no legal services
    4. Trust Protector, Distribution Advisor and other duties in fiduciary or nonfiduciary capacities
    1. Trust or estate income tax returns
    2. Estate tax (death tax) returns
    3. Beneficiary income taxes
    4. Decedent’s final income tax return 

Not sure how to analyze a case or price your services? We can take you through the process.

Don’t care to track the accounts and prepare trust or estate tax returns? We’ll bear that load.

Prefer to name an independent Trust Protector or Distribution Advisor? Need a court-appointed trustee? We can serve there, too.

Trustee Tips