We support clients seeking to protect, preserve and transfer wealth through Delaware’s uniquely powerful trust and tax framework.
Always prioritizing your best interest.
We do not sell financial products. We instead adhere to the highest standards of fiduciary excellence while providing personalized service and solutions that deliver the best outcomes for you, not commissions. It is simply not in our clients’ best interest.
Our commitment to you:
- Our independence has been a core principle since the beginning. This autonomy guarantees that your well-being remains the central focus of all our efforts.
- Every client is assigned a dedicated, client centric team. This team provides holistic perspectives and solutions by working closely with other key Greenleaf Trust professionals.
- We align ourselves with our clients’ best interests as evidenced in our independent ownership, in-depth and conflict-free internal research, strict avoidance of proprietary (in-house) funds and transparent fee structure.
Ready to experience the Greenleaf Trust Delaware difference?
A steadfast partner in long-term planning.
Backed by financial strength and structural stability, Greenleaf Trust Delaware delivers consistent fiduciary oversight supporting clients, families and their advisory partners for generations to come.
Delaware Trustee Services
We offer reliable fiduciary oversight and administrative stability to ensure the seamless, multi-generational stewardship of your trust.
- Ensures seamless continuity of trust administration
- Provides uninterrupted fiduciary oversight
- Maintains consistent administration across generations
- Delivers stable, long-term trust stewardship
Directed Trustee Services
We provide stable fiduciary oversight and administrative continuity to ensure a seamless, long-term partnership between your family and your preferred advisory team.
- Preserves continuity for clients and their advisory teams
- Ensures a seamless experience between trustee and Preferred RIA partner(s)
- Provides stable fiduciary support aligned with advisory relationships
- Maintains long-term administrative consistency for clients and advisors
Agency and Custodial Services
We provide comprehensive support to ensure accurate recordkeeping and seamless operational oversight for individuals and trustees.
- Comprehensive administration and operational support tailored to the needs of individuals, trustees and entities
- Secure custody and safekeeping of trust assets
- Detailed recordkeeping and reporting for transparency and accuracy
- Bill payment and distribution processing
Income Tax Planning
We implement strategic distribution and harvesting techniques to minimize your tax liability and maximize the efficiency of your investment returns.
- Review prior tax returns
- Tax-loss harvesting
- Asset location strategies
- Carry forward loss optimization
- Dividend skip strategies
- Distribution sequencing
- Gain recognition optimization
Estate Planning
We provide strategic oversight to clarify your legacy goals, protect your assets and implement tax-efficient transfer strategies.
- Review estate plan
- Corporate trustee services
- Estate tax minimization strategies
- Estate settlement
- Estate goal clarification
- Special needs planning
- Asset protection strategies
- Bases shifting strategies
- Investor location strategies
Philanthropic Planning
We provide guidance to help you define your charitable vision, optimize tax-efficient giving and manage the administrative complexities of creating a lasting family legacy.
- Philanthropic goal clarification
- Charitable remainder trust administration
- Charitable vehicle optimization
- Gifting strategies and analysis
- Passing family values through philanthropy
- Tax minimization strategies
- Qualified charitable distributions
- Family foundation administration
Additional Services
We provide a holistic support system to simplify your financial life, educate your family and align your daily operations with your personal values.
- Socially responsible investing
- Family meeting facilitation
- Coordination of advisory team (CPA, attorney)
- Bill pay
- Identity theft assistance
- Outside investment coordination
- Financial literacy education
- Personal finance website
With an in-house, dedicated research team structured to eliminate conflicts of interest, we maintain a laser focus on our clients’ best interests.
Our perspective and experience deliver client-first solutions customized to their individual needs. Our research team includes professionals from a wider range of specialties including equity research, fixed income research, portfolio construction, manager selection and alternative investments and trading.
A time-tested investment philosophy.
Our objective is to develop comprehensive investment solutions that help our clients reach their goals. Our core philosophy and beliefs guide this approach.
- We seek to maximize after-tax, after-fee returns for a given level of risk.
- We take a long-term perspective and disciplined approach load to improved investment outcomes.
- Investment decisions based on accepted principles and empirical data.
- Asset allocation is the primary driver of long-term investment performance.
- Independence and an open architecture platform allow for unbiased investment decisions.
Preserving and growing your financial security for generations to come.
We begin by gaining a deep understanding of each client’s unique circumstances and financial goals. This understanding allows us to thoughtfully determine the appropriate asset allocation and construct a portfolio. In building the portfolio, we access each asset class in the way we view as most advantageous. Our ultimate aim is to realize the goal of growing and preserving our clients’ financial security across generations. To ensure this long-term security, we continuously monitor and manage portfolio risk, making adjustments as needed.
We look forward to sharing with you more details about our investment philosophy.
Frequently Asked Questions about Greenleaf Trust Delaware
Can I work with Greenleaf Trust Delaware if I live elsewhere?
Yes. You do not need to be a Delaware resident to benefit from its trust laws. Greenleaf Trust Delaware serves clients nationwide, allowing you to move existing trusts or establish new ones in Delaware to take advantage of superior tax savings and enhanced asset protection.
What is a consultative approach to wealth management?
Our consultative approach means we listen first, then guide. We engage in a continual dialogue with you and your advisors to create a personalized plan. Success isn’t measured against a market index, but by your ability to achieve personal, philanthropic and dynastic financial milestones.
Why is independence important for Delaware wealth planning?
Our independence as a privately held, trust-only bank means we have no proprietary products or lending conflicts. This ensures that every investment decision is made solely to meet your specific financial goals, leveraging Delaware’s progressive laws to maximize your portfolio’s efficiency and long-term security.
How does Greenleaf Trust manage risk in Delaware portfolios?
We use rigorous, unbiased in-house research to construct portfolios that align with your risk tolerance. By utilizing Delaware’s favorable statutes for investment flexibility, we can employ sophisticated sub-asset allocations and tactical shifts to protect your capital while pursuing long-term, goal-based growth.
Can I move an existing trust to Greenleaf Trust Delaware?
Yes. Moving a trust to Delaware allows you to modernize an older trust’s provisions. Greenleaf Trust Delaware works with your legal team to relocate your trust, potentially unlocking significant tax savings and more flexible administrative rules available under Delaware’s modern statutes.
How does your independence improve my retirement plan?
Because we are an independent, trust-only bank, we do not use proprietary funds. This open architecture allows us to select best-in-class investments from across the entire market, ensuring your retirement plan’s menu is chosen solely for its performance and suitability for your employees.
How does Delaware allow trusts to last forever?
Delaware has abolished the Rule Against Perpetuities for personal property, allowing for the creation of Dynasty Trusts. Greenleaf Trust Delaware can manage these enduring vehicles to provide for your family indefinitely, avoiding the generational tax that typically occurs every few decades in other states.