Named a Trustee?
Here’s How to Manage That Responsibility Without the Guesswork.
BDB Wealth Advisors can work alongside your estate attorney, CPA, and other professionals to help manage the investment and financial planning aspects of a trust — with a clear, documented, fiduciary approach.
A Note on Our Role — Important
Scope of Services BDB Wealth Advisors is a registered investment adviser — not a law firm or accounting firm. We manage the investment and financial planning aspects of trust relationships. We do not draft trust documents, provide legal advice, or prepare tax returns. Those responsibilities remain with your estate attorney and CPA. Our role is to ensure the investment side is managed with the same rigor and documentation as the legal structure around it.
You May Be Looking for Help With…
Managing the investment side of a trust where you've been named trustee — particularly if investment management is not your area of expertise
Ensuring the trust's investment approach actually aligns with its stated purpose: income to beneficiaries, long-term growth, or principal preservation
Having documented, defensible investment management processes that demonstrate you are meeting your responsibilities as a trustee
Navigating distribution decisions with clear, consistent rationale that reduces family conflict or legal exposure
Coordinating with estate attorneys and CPAs who are already involved — rather than working with an adviser who operates in isolation from your existing team
How BDB Wealth Can Help
Trust Investment Management
We manage trust portfolios with a clear Investment Policy Statement aligned to the trust’s purpose, time horizon, distribution requirements, and beneficiaries — reviewed at least quarterly.
Trustee Support
We provide documented investment management consistent with the prudent investor standard, giving you a clear professional record of the process behind every investment decision.
Coordination With Estate Attorneys and CPAs
We work alongside your existing legal and tax professionals rather than duplicating or replacing their work. Our role is to manage the investment piece that falls within our scope as a registered investment adviser.
Beneficiary Communication Support
Clear, documented investment rationale and reporting that can be shared with beneficiaries and co-trustees — reducing misunderstandings and supporting transparency.
Families Considering a Trust
If you are in the early stages of estate planning, we can help think through the financial planning considerations and coordinate with your estate attorney on the investment management aspects of whatever structure they recommend.
Our Approach
1. Review the trust's purpose, terms, and current investment approach.
2. Develop an Investment Policy Statement appropriate to the trust's objectives and beneficiaries.
3. Manage the portfolio with at least quarterly reviews and provide quarterly custodian statements.
4. Coordinate with your attorney, CPA, and other professionals involved in the trust.
Our Fees
Investment management for trust accounts is charged as an annual advisory fee based on assets under management; the same fee schedule as individual accounts, billed monthly in arrears. Fees are generally negotiable and documented in your advisory agreement. We do not collect fees in advance.
| Assets Under Management | Annual Advisory Fee |
|---|---|
| $10,000 – $20,000 | 1.20% |
| $20,001 – $50,000 | 1.00% |
| $50,001 – $100,000 | 0.90% |
| $100,001 – $250,000 | 0.85% |
| $250,001 – $500,000 | 0.80% |
| $500,001 – $750,000 | 0.75% |
| $750,001 – $1,000,000 | 0.65% |
| $1,000,001 – $2,000,000 | 0.60% |
| $2,000,001 and above | 0.55% |
Account Minimum $10,000 (waivable)
Performance Fees None — Ever
Billing Monthly in Arrears
Financial planning related to trust and estate planning is available as a standalone project ($500– $15,000+ depending on complexity) or hourly ($100/hour). Clients are responsible for third-party custodian fees charged by Altruist Financial LLC.
Insurance Conflict of Interest — Required Disclosure Danielle Bordenkircher is a separately licensed insurance agent who may earn commissions on insurance products. This activity is outside the advisory relationship and is disclosed as a conflict of interest. Clients are never required to purchase insurance through BDB Wealth Advisors.
View the full fee schedule at bdbwealthadvisors.com/fees
What the First Conversation Looks Like
15 minutes. No obligation. No pressure.
We’ll briefly discuss the trust’s situation.
Whether you’re already serving as trustee, reviewing an existing arrangement, or in the early stages of estate planning and whether our services may be appropriate.
If another professional would be a better fit, we’ll say so. You’re welcome to bring your current investment policy statement if one exists, or simply come with questions.
Why BDB Wealth
Fiduciary Status Always — Same Standard as Trustee Investment Duty
Reporting Quarterly; Clear and Documented Fee Structure Fee-Based; No Investment Commissions
Local Presence York, Lancaster, Harrisburg + Virtual Nationwide
Multi-Party Coordination Estate Attorneys, CPAs, Co-Trustees
PA State-Registered, CRD #336541
Frequently Asked Questions
-
No. Your estate attorney handles the legal structure of the trust — drafting documents, advising on trust type, and addressing legal matters. We manage the investment side. We work alongside your attorney, not instead of them.
-
The prudent investor standard is the legal standard most states apply to how trustees must manage trust assets — investing as a reasonably prudent person would, with attention to risk, diversification, and the trust’s overall objectives. Working with a professional investment manager who maintains documented processes and a written Investment Policy Statement can help demonstrate that standard has been met.
-
Yes — this is a common situation, particularly where income beneficiaries and remainder beneficiaries have competing interests. We’d review the trust’s terms and purpose and build an Investment Policy Statement that addresses those considerations transparently and consistently.
-
We work with revocable and irrevocable trusts, family trusts, charitable remainder trusts, and other trust structures on the investment management side. The legal structuring remains with your estate attorney.
-
Yes — clear, understandable reporting for trustees, co-trustees, and beneficiaries is part of how we approach trust investment management.
-
$10,000 for investment management, which may be waived at our discretion.
Book a 15-Minute No-Obligation Estate & Wealth Planning Call
No cost. No obligation. No pressure.
Whether you are managing a trust or setting one up, let’s start with a conversation.
Fiduciary, fee-based advisory firm.
Education and Resources
From the Blog
