Trust Solutions for RIAs: Helping Advisors Expand Services for Their Clients

Trusts
Written By May Franco

Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) often work with clients whose financial situations grow increasingly complex over time. As clients accumulate wealth, considerations around trusts, estate planning structures, and long-term wealth transfer may become more prominent. While RIAs provide guidance on financial planning and investments, they typically cannot act as trustees or directly provide trust services.

Partnering with a trust company provides a practical solution. Firms like Members Trust Company (MTC) offer trust solutions for RIAs that advisors can introduce to clients while continuing to maintain the advisory relationship. This approach allows advisors to support clients’ planning needs without assuming trustee responsibilities.

Expanding Services for Clients

Trust services are an important component of long-term financial planning. Clients may establish trusts for purposes such as estate planning, multi-generational wealth transfer, or managing family assets.

Because acting as trustee requires a qualified fiduciary, RIAs often work with a trust company that can provide these services. Members Trust Company provides trust solutions for RIAs that advisors may make available when trust structures become part of client planning discussions.

This partnership allows advisors to support clients who require trust administration while remaining the primary point of contact for financial guidance and investment decisions.

Maintaining Clear Advisor–Client Roles

A key benefit of this model is that the RIA retains primary responsibility for the client relationship. Advisors continue to provide financial planning guidance, investment strategy, and ongoing client communication, while the trust company manages trustee duties and administrative processes.

This collaboration allows each party to focus on their respective responsibilities:

  • The RIA guides the client’s overall financial strategy and investment decisions

  • Members Trust Company serves as trustee, providing trust solutions and administrative oversight

  • Other professionals, such as estate attorneys or tax specialists, may assist with legal or tax matters

Maintaining this structure helps advisors remain central to the client relationship while a trust company handles trustee responsibilities in a structured, compliant manner.

Supporting Clients With Trust Structures

Clients who establish trusts often need continuity, oversight, and coordination among multiple financial professionals. Working with a trust company provides a framework that supports structured administration while enabling the advisor to remain involved in planning conversations.

Members Trust Company works with RIAs and their clients on family trusts, estate planning structures, and retirement accounts associated with trust planning. Advisors may use a trust company partner to help support clients whose needs extend beyond investment management.

Adding Value to the Advisor–Client Relationship

Introducing trust solutions for RIAs allows advisors to broaden the range of services offered to clients. Rather than referring clients elsewhere for trust services, advisors remain involved in planning while relying on the trust company to perform trustee duties.

This model supports coordination between advisory guidance and trust administration. Advisors may work to align trust services with a client’s broader financial strategy, maintaining clarity and structured processes throughout.

Working With Professional Firms

Firms like Members Trust Company collaborate with RIAs to provide trust solutions that complement the advisor’s role. By serving as trustee, Members Trust Company helps advisors continue focusing on client relationships, investment guidance, and financial planning.

This partnership supports organized administration, documentation, and governance of client trust arrangements. Clear roles and responsibilities between the advisor and trust company help structure the process and reduce potential administrative complexity.

Conclusion

As client needs evolve, RIAs often look for ways to support planning that includes trusts and estate structures. Because advisors typically cannot act as trustees, partnering with a trust company bridges that gap.

Firms like Members Trust Company provide trust solutions for RIAs that advisors may make available to clients while maintaining the advisory relationship. This approach allows advisors to help clients consider trust services while working to ensure trustee responsibilities are managed by a qualified trust company. Through structured administration, clear coordination, and governance-focused processes, trust solutions for RIAs support advisors in delivering organized, process-oriented services.


This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. Please consult appropriate professionals before making decisions.

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Trust services provided by Members Trust Company, a federal thrift regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Trust and Investment products are not NCUA/NCUSIF/FDIC insured. May lose value including the possible loss of principal. No financial institution guarantee. Not a deposit of any financial institution. This is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal or tax advice regarding your situation. For legal or tax advice, please consult your attorney and/or accountant.

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