Trust Services & Estate Planning

Wealth planning focuses on growing and managing your assets during your lifetime—investment strategies, retirement income, tax efficiency, and risk management. Estate planning, on the other hand, focuses on transferring your wealth after you pass: organizing beneficiary designations, wills, trusts, and ownership structures to minimize taxes, avoid probate, and ensure your assets reach the right people. At Sentinel, we integrate both so your financial strategy supports you now and protects your legacy later.

Not always. About 98% of estate planning involves organizing accounts, insurance policies, and beneficiary designations—areas where our advisors provide significant guidance without legal fees. However, for more complex situations like multi-generational trusts, special needs planning, or advanced tax instruments, we collaborate with experienced estate attorneys to ensure your plan is both legally sound and strategically aligned with your goals.

A trust is a legal arrangement that holds and distributes your assets according to your instructions, often avoiding probate and providing control over when and how beneficiaries receive wealth. You may benefit from a trust if you want to minimize estate taxes, protect assets from creditors or divorce, provide for minor children or special needs dependents, or maintain privacy. We work alongside estate attorneys to design trusts tailored to your family's unique needs and long-term objectives.

Effective estate tax minimization involves strategic use of tax-free accounts, gifting strategies, Qualified Charitable Distributions, irrevocable trusts, and thoughtful asset titling. We analyze your taxable, tax-deferred, and tax-free 'buckets' to coordinate withdrawals, conversions, and transfers in the most tax-efficient sequence. Our goal is to preserve more of your wealth for your heirs and causes you care about, using every advantage available under current IRS rules.

Without an estate plan, your assets will be distributed according to your state's intestacy laws—which may not reflect your wishes. This process typically involves probate court, public disclosure of your assets, potential family disputes, and unnecessary legal fees. Additionally, your heirs may face avoidable tax burdens and delays. An intentional estate plan ensures your wealth is transferred efficiently, privately, and according to your values—not a one-size-fits-all legal default.

Estate planning at Sentinel isn't siloed—it's integrated with your retirement income strategy, tax management, asset allocation, and risk planning. We ensure your beneficiary designations align with your will, your withdrawal strategy supports tax-efficient transfers, and your trust structures work harmoniously with your investment goals. This coordinated approach means every decision—whether you're taking a distribution or updating a beneficiary—supports your lifetime security and your legacy intentions.

Yes. We've supported families with special needs for 25 years, providing dedicated planning that ensures lifelong financial security without jeopardizing government benefits. We coordinate with care planners and attorneys to structure Special Needs Trusts (SNTs), ABLE accounts, and income strategies that protect your loved one's quality of life. Our experience with 20+ families long-term means we understand the nuances, regulations, and emotional considerations involved in this deeply personal planning.

We recommend reviewing your estate plan every 3-5 years or after major life events: marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a beneficiary, significant asset changes, relocation to a new state, or changes in tax law. Regular reviews ensure your beneficiary designations, trust provisions, and asset titling remain aligned with your current family structure, financial situation, and goals. We proactively monitor these elements as part of our ongoing client relationship.