At Archford Trust Services (ATS), we provide bespoke trust solutions, focused on helping you and your family realize your financial goals. Backed by experience and commitment to service, we aim to deliver peace-of-mind for you and those you care about.
The Value of a Trust
A well-structured trust does more than manage your assets:
- Avoid Probate: Avoid lengthy and potentially costly court proceedings held to oversee the collection, appraisal, and distribution of your assets
- Protect Your Well-Being: Be confident that you will be cared for and your financial affairs managed properly if you become incapacitated
- Safeguard Beneficiaries: Help your heirs make wise choices with their inheritance, reducing the chances of mismanagement
- Guard Against Financial Abuse: Shield yourself from potential elder financial exploitation
- Preserve Family Harmony: By appointing a corporate trustee—an impartial entity staffed with legal and financial professionals bound to act in the best interests of your beneficiaries—you can minimize conflicts and ensure every decision prioritizes their well-being
What a Trustee Does
- Notify Creditors: Notify creditors of decedent’s death; pay debts
- Secure & Sell Property: Change locks on trust properties; prepare for sale
- Ongoing Communication: Keep beneficiaries informed about the trust’s administration
- File Taxes: File income taxes and federal death taxes if necessary
- Collect & Appraise Assets: Collect assets; conduct appraisals to determine value
- Provide Accountings: Provide accounting to beneficiaries
- Distribute Assets: Distribute remaining assets to beneficiaries
Benefits of Designating Archford as Your Trustee
One of the most important decisions you can make is the selection of a trustee. Archford Trust Services is the ideal solution for you if you’re looking to relieve your family of the burden of dealing with the complex details of trust administration, fulfilled with the stewardship and sensitivity every family deserves. Trusteeship is a serious fiduciary responsibility that takes time and understanding of tax, legal and investing implications. Leaving it to Archford’s team of professionals not only frees those you care about, but ensures objective, unbiased management from professionals who do it every day.
