A Plan for What Comes Next, Decided by You

Estate and trust planning isn't just for the wealthy — it's for anyone who wants their family to have clarity, not confusion, when it matters most.

Your Financial Plan Doesn't End With Retirement

What Happens to Your Estate If You Don't Plan Ahead?

Most people know they should have an estate plan. Far fewer have one that actually reflects their wishes, accounts for their family's needs, or coordinates with their broader financial picture. Without a clear strategy, the people you care about most are left navigating a process they weren't prepared for — at a time when they're least equipped to handle it.

 

As an estate planning financial advisor in Vermont, we work with families throughout Franklin County and the surrounding region to build estate and trust strategies that fit into their overall financial plan. We don't draft legal documents — that's the role of your estate attorney — but we do the financial coordination work that makes those documents meaningful: analyzing what you own, how it's titled, what your goals are, and which trust structures may help you achieve them.

Trust Strategies We Help Coordinate

Not every family needs every type of trust, but every family deserves to understand their options. We work alongside your attorney to evaluate and coordinate the trust structures that may serve your situation:

 

  • Dynasty Trusts — designed to transfer wealth across multiple generations while managing estate tax exposure over time
  • Special Needs Trusts — structured to support a family member with a disability without disqualifying them from government benefits they rely on
  • Asset Protection Trusts — intended to shield assets from future creditors or legal claims within the bounds Vermont law allows
  • Charitable Trusts — a way to support causes that matter to you while potentially creating income or estate tax benefits for your family
  • Life Insurance Trusts — used to keep life insurance proceeds outside of your taxable estate and direct them according to your plan
  • Testamentary Trusts — created through a will and activated at death, often used to manage how and when assets pass to younger beneficiaries

 

Trust planning in St. Albans and across Vermont is most effective when it's integrated with your investment strategy, insurance coverage, and retirement income plan. That's the coordination we provide.

Protecting the People Who Depend on You Most

For families with a loved one who has a disability, the financial stakes of estate planning are especially high. A well-structured special needs trust can preserve your loved one's eligibility for Medicaid, SSI, and other essential programs — while still allowing you to leave them meaningful support. Getting this wrong can have serious consequences. Getting it right takes coordination between your financial plan and your legal documents, and that's exactly where we come in.

 

We also work with multi-generational households — including the adult children of existing clients who are beginning to build their own financial lives. Estate and trust planning isn't a one-time event. It's a living part of your family's financial strategy, and we approach it that way.

 

For families thinking about long-term wealth transfer alongside life insurance trusts, our family wealth and multi-generational planning work is a natural extension of this conversation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Estate Planning & Trusts

  • Does a financial advisor help with trusts, or do I need an attorney?

    You need both, and they serve different roles. An estate attorney drafts and legally executes trust documents. A financial advisor — like our team at Bennett Wealth Management — coordinates the financial strategy that makes those documents work: analyzing your assets, identifying which trust structures fit your goals, and making sure your estate plan aligns with your investment, retirement, and insurance planning. The two roles complement each other.

  • I'm not wealthy. Do I still need an estate plan?

    Estate planning isn't about the size of your estate — it's about who receives what you've built, and under what conditions. Families of all income levels benefit from having a clear plan in place, whether that means a simple testamentary trust to protect minor children, a beneficiary designation review, or a charitable trust that reflects your values.

  • What is a testamentary trust and when does it make sense?

    A testamentary trust is created through your will and takes effect at your death. It's commonly used when you want to control how assets are distributed to younger beneficiaries — for example, specifying that funds be held until a child reaches a certain age rather than passing to them outright. It's one of several trust options we help families evaluate as part of an overall estate strategy.

  • How does a special needs trust work without affecting government benefits?

    A properly structured special needs trust holds assets on behalf of a beneficiary with a disability without counting those assets toward eligibility thresholds for programs like Medicaid or SSI. The trust can pay for supplemental expenses — education, recreation, personal items — that government programs don't cover, preserving both the benefits and the quality of life you want your loved one to have. We help families understand how this structure fits into their broader plan and coordinate with the appropriate legal counsel.

  • Is there an estate planning advisor near St. Albans, VT who works with families like mine?

    Bennett Wealth Management is based in St. Albans and has served Franklin County families for decades. We work with pre-retirees, retirees, and multi-generational households on estate and trust coordination as part of a comprehensive financial plan. If you're ready to start the conversation, we'd welcome the opportunity to sit down with you.