As a Trustee, you are held to a higher standard. As a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), we are held to the Fiduciary standard.
Echo45 Trustee Services understands the decision-making challenges trustees face when managing financial matters for a third party. As an independent firm, we are free from the conflicts of interest that exist at large banks and brokerage houses.
We have expertise in managing wealth for trustees. From our white-glove service model to assisting with the marshaling of assets to adhering to the Uniform Prudent Investor Act (UPIA), we incorporate the tenets of Modern Portfolio Theory and diversification into every portfolio we manage.
We seek to provide the highest level of service and financial infrastructure to professional fiduciaries, trustees, guardians, and conservators.
OUR SERVICES
As a professional trustee and fiduciary, you have the responsibility to make investment decisions on another’s behalf. With this obligation comes another responsibility, this one to yourself: to make sure that you do not run into any personal liability issues for noncompliance with the Uniform Prudent Investor Act (UPIA). The UPIA has many requirements, some overarching and some specific, that you need to know, consider, and comply with when managing trust investments.
We approach investment management with the UPIA as our guide. One of the Act’s key drivers is ensuring that investments are evaluated within the context of the client’s goals and risk-reward tolerance.
In addition, we keep a keen eye on a portfolio’s diversification, tax sensitivities and fees, as well as on the overall economic environment including interest rates and inflation. We keep you informed so you can spend your time taking care of your clients.
Special Needs Trusts: Special Needs Trusts (SNTs) require a special approach. They support those who cannot take care of themselves, specifically financially, so they require a trustee who is sensitive as well as accountable. SNTs can help those with disabilities benefit from trust assets while still maintaining their eligibility for essential government benefits. They also can help those who have gone through a personal injury or a malpractice settlement.
Since the needs of SNT beneficiaries are often significant, they require a trustee who has specialized expertise and experience in managing these trusts. At Echo45, we know how to navigate the SNT process and we can connect you with resources you need, including a lawyer to draft the trust, an accountant, and healthcare/Medicare services. We also build trust portfolios to meet the Uniform Prudent Investor Act (UPIA) so that they remain compliant in terms of goals, risk-return levels, tax-sensitivity and diversification.
Investment Management for Trustees
We offer a wide array of financial advice to help you meet the specific needs of each of your unique clients. These needs can range from assistance with Special Needs Trusts to income planning for an aging client worried they might outlive their resources.
Do you have the resources to proficiently outline how long a client’s resources will last?
Are you able to illustrate the lifetime tax effects of taking money from one account type versus another?
Are you willing and able to conduct an annual review of their tax return and illustrate where the client is from a tax perspective?
Let us do the heavy lifting so you can act confidently on your clients’ behalf; well informed, but not overwhelmed.
Through you as the Trustee, we provide comprehensive financial planning related to family and estate needs, retirement savings and income, risk management and insurance, investments and taxation, and charitable giving. For small businesses, we also offer employee benefits planning. Through open conversations with you, we gain an authentic understanding of what’s driving your client’s happiness. We help you to articulate the goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon that apply to each of the lives you have been entrusted with. To keep you on track, we work proactively to provide ongoing communication and recommendations.
Financial Planning for Trustees
Managing taxable investments for clients with no knowledge of their tax situation is flying blind, unfortunately, it happens more often than you might think.
Echo45 Advisors was launched as an Independent RIA in effort to provide more for clients and tax planning is one the cornerstones of that value proposition. Our firm offers annual tax planning as part of our comprehensive financial planning services. Tax planning refers to a review of your client’s tax returns to identify potential planning opportunities, both now and in the future, to optimize tax liabilities. While often overlooked, robust tax planning is one of the most valuable pieces of a truly holistic financial plan. Taxes touch every part of our financial lives and understanding tax returns enables us to have more valuable and actionable conversations. Additionally, we can demystify the world of income taxes and help you understand this important piece of your client’s financial picture.
Note: this service is different from tax preparation, which is usually done by a CPA, Enrolled Agent or online service/software, to keep you compliant with what the government thinks you owe each year. Tax Planning begins where tax preparation ends and is not traditionally offered by “big box” investment firms and banks.
Tax Planning for Trustees
Take off with Us
Email
trusteeservices@echo45advisors.com
Phone
Toll Free: 877-4-Echo45 (877-432-4645)
Local: 925-592-4509
Address
1801 N. California Blvd., Suite 101
Walnut Creek, CA 94596