Cowlitz Bank Trust Services operates out of our headquarters located in Longview, Washington and provides services through the Bay Bank offices in Seattle, Bellevue, Vancouver and Portland.
The Trust Services division focuses on the needs of the customer; providing trust and custody services to individuals, partnerships, corporations, and institutions in addition acts as a fiduciary of living trusts, estates and conservatorships. Cowlitz Bank Trust Services also provides custodial services for IRA owners who seek to hold alternative investments within their IRA including commercial real estate, Tenant in Common interests, ESOP certificates, and many other investments.
A revocable living trust properly prepared by an attorney can provide continuation of asset management and life style support should you become incapacitated with Cowlitz Bank acting as your trustee. This plan avoids the expensive public guardianship procedures and can reduce or eliminate the probate process in many situations.
Everyone needs a will to express their wishes regarding asset distribution and the care of loved ones. However many people have not completed this crucial requirement instead leaving this to the state intestacy laws that may not have any relationship to your wishes or family needs. Cowlitz Bank Trust Services can serve as Personal Representative of your will assuming the time consuming tasks associated with this function of administering an estate.
Guardianships are court regulated accounts established to provide financial support for an incapacitated individual or for minor children. The courts require extensive accounting and reporting for all income and distributions. Cowlitz Bank Trust staff are well trained in the complexity of the administration of these accounts.
Naming Cowlitz Bank as co-trustee or successor trustee of your revocable living trust allows you to transfer many of the daily headaches of asset administration while retaining full control over your investments and lifestyle. We will stand ready to administer your investments, should you become incapacitated, in accordance with the instructions contained within your trust document.
Cowlitz Bank has designed our IRA program to allow our clients to invest in alternative assets including bare land, commercial real estate, tenant in common programs, Limited Liability Companies (LLC’s), and other unique investment programs.
Cowlitz Bank Trust Services administers these specialized trusts that require extra due diligence to adhere to the relevant IRS guidance plus annual analysis of any insurance contracts held by the trust. These trusts are typically designed to remove life insurance proceeds from the estate of the individual but allow the proceeds to become available to your family or estate upon your death for liquidity or tax considerations.
Special needs trusts are established by an attorney or court to provide for the supplemental needs of disabled children or adults. Because the complexity of the restrictions in the various governmental support programs care must be taken to avoid endangering these support services when making distributions. Cowlitz Bank Trust Services has significant experience in administering these accounts and providing for those special services that are not available from Medicaid or Social Security.
Disclosure:
Investment products are not obligations of, guaranteed by any bank including Cowlitz Bank or any Cowlitz Bank affiliate, nor are they insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve, or any other agency. An investment in such products involves investment risk, including possible loss of principal.