Trust Planning Services
A Trust is only as good as it Trustee. Champlain Trust takes a collaborative approach, working with the family’s trusted financial advisors, business managers, attorneys and accountants to achieve each client’s unique goals.
“We’ve worked with Steve Schindler and Champlain Trust for nearly 15 years. Our Trusts include marketable securities, closely-held business interests, and a sophisticated life insurance plan. The Champlain Trust team is very experienced and knowledgeable, they’ve provided valuable tax advice, and the service is excellent. Thank you so much.”
~ Stephen and Margaret
We Provide The Best Possible Service
Each Trust and family situation is unique. We do our best to cover the technical side, and people side, of administering a Trust.
Document Review, Tax Evaluation and Advisory
We review, evaluate and interpret existing Trust documents to ensure that the Trusts are properly implemented and comply with expected tax results. We help attorneys and other trust professionals draft and revise new Trusts and amendments as needed.
We evaluate and advise clients and beneficiaries about various Trust-related tax issues, including federal and state estate, gift, generation skipping and income tax issues. We file Trust related tax returns and K-1s as needed. We implement Trusts and distributions to beneficiaries in a tax efficient manner. We have experience administering “intentionally defective” grantor Trusts, charitable trusts, dynasty trusts, asset protection trusts and special needs trusts.
Collaborations and Supports
We collaborate with the client and beneficiaries to retain qualified independent financial advisors and business managers, typically of the client’s choosing, but we can also vet and retain new advisors as needed.
We satisfy the numerous fiduciary duties related to trust administration, including but not limited to: the duties of loyalty, impartiality, prudence, delegation, protection of Trust property, recordkeeping and reporting to beneficiaries, and distributions to beneficiaries consistent with the terms of the Trust.
We collaborate with the Settlor and Beneficiaries’ team of trusted advisors when evaluating and implementing a Trust, and make balanced and appropriate distribution decisions as appropriate under the circumstances.
Securing Your Financial Future
Champlain Trust works with qualified independent financial advisers typically chosen by the Settlor or Beneficiaries to manage marketable securities. Champlain Trust is well-suited to administer unique assets held in-trust.
Business Interests
Ownership interests in closely held businesses managed by the client or designated managers.
Real Estate
Principal residence, vacation homes, commercial real estate.
Life Insurance
Whole life, indexed, variable and term policies. Premium finance arrangements.
Collectibles
Sports memorabilia, collector cars, artwork, antiques.
Interested in learning about our services? Please call.
Call Now: 802-773-9100Frequently Asked Questions
Why a Trust?
Trusts can be very useful to avoid probate court, provide independent consistent professional administration of various assets for numerous beneficiaries over time, provide for minor or disabled beneficiaries, protect assets from creditors including potential ex-spouses, reduce or eliminate estate and gift taxes, monitor financial performance of Trust assets and advisers, provide a safety-net for beneficiaries over time, and make charitable donations or act as a charitable foundation.
Why Champlain Trust?
Champlain Trust is owned and managed by experienced trust and tax attorneys. We are truly independent and can work with independent financial advisers of your choosing – as opposed to other institutional trustees who use their own inhouse financial advisers and portfolio structures. We are responsive and communicate clearly. We can act as Trustee when a Trust holds other assets that many institutional administrators won’t take on, such as closely held business interests, residential and commercial real estate, life insurance policies and collectibles. We make sound, well-balanced distribution decisions where other institutions might be tight-fisted. Our fees are very competitive.
How are fees calculated?
Champlain Trust fees are typically based upon a percentage of assets under management. Our target minimum is $3 million in assets under management. Our target fees are based upon a sliding scale from a high of 50 basis points (0.5%) per year to a low of 10 basis points (0.1%) per year, depending upon the size of the Trust and complexity of administration. Fees are negotiable for larger Trusts. Fees may be slightly higher for specialized trusts, such as a charitable trust taxed as a private foundation. Our fees do not include investment management fees charged by an independent broker to manage marketable securities, nor other fees that might be charged by a closely-held business manager or property manager for commercial real estate. Our Trustee’s fees are typically tax deductible. The fair market value of hard-to-value interests, such as closely-held business interests and collectibles, can be based upon an estimate as agreed-to with the client. All terms of engaging Champlain Trust as your independent Trustee will be discussed and approved in advance and confirmed in writing. We of course reserve the right to decline an engagement, and to withdraw from an engagement if accepted, and the client or beneficiaries can typically remove us as Trustee if they wish.
Have questions or need more information? Call us: 802-773-9100