DO YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL TRUSTEE?

Many people who create Trusts do not have a family member who is an appropriate person to appoint to serve as a Trustee. The person who serves as a Trustee should be financially responsible and someone who will not be tempted to administer the Trust for his or her own benefit instead of the benefit of the Trust beneficiaries. Ideally, the person should also be someone who the beneficiaries respect enough to defer to in decision-making without unnecessary challenges.

Many people do have responsible and respected family members who can act as Trustees, but those who don’t have to look for other options. Some people choose to use professionals. Banks and Trust Companies will act as Trustees for a fee. They can both be excellent options. Another option is to hire an attorney to act as a Trustee. Because of the professional ethics demanded of attorneys, they will act for the benefit of the Trust. Yet another option is to appoint the best family member that you can and hire an attorney to act as an advisor to the family member Trustee when the need arises for professional advice.

Talk to your estate planning attorney about who you should appoint to serve as a Trustee for the Trusts that you create and whether you would benefit from a professional as a Trustee.