Every trust needs a trustee. Most families default to one of three choices: themselves, a family member, or a bank. Each carries risks that rarely surface in the planning conversation.
A self-appointed trustee preserves control but undermines protection—courts routinely "pierce" trusts where the grantor also serves as trustee. A family member trustee introduces relationship dynamics that compound across generations. A corporate trustee offers institutional durability but impersonal administration and fees that compound quietly.
The fourth option—a professional fiduciary aligned with the family's values—is rarely presented because it falls outside the estate attorney's standard playbook. Ask Grace about trustee selection for your specific situation.
The trustee question is ultimately a question about stewardship. Who will hold these assets not as property but as covenant? Who will serve the family's vision seven generations forward? The answer shapes everything that follows.