White label trust services—sometimes referred to as private label trust services—reflect this shift. Designed for family offices, RIAs, insurance professionals, and investment managers, this approach allows advisors to offer sophisticated trust planning options to their clients without taking on the burden of trust administration or compromising their brand identity.

Understanding the White Label Approach

Bridgeford Trust Company’s white label trust services provide the regulatory framework, infrastructure, and trust expertise, while the advisory firm remains the primary client relationship holder. This offering is particularly valuable for firms that do not have trust powers or want to expand their capabilities without building a trust company from the ground up.

Because “white label” means something different to everyone, we work across a continuum of options to meet firms where they are and deliver a highly customizable arrangement. This may include:

• A fully branded experience, where trust statements and client communications feature the advisor firm’s name.
• A co-branded model with Bridgeford Trust Company identified as the trust provider.
• A completely independent relationship with no brand integration at all.

 

These and many other collaboratively designed options can be adapted to meet the unique needs of the firm, while also providing marketing and sales support to effectively communicate trust solutions, training and education to confidently discuss the advantages of South Dakota’s modern trust laws, and back-office infrastructure that includes accounting and reporting support, with flexibility around asset custody.

To learn more about Bridgeford Trust Company’s white label trust services, or to explore a customized relationship, reach out to our team at (605) 224-9189 or via our contact page.

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As part of the symposium, our Co-Founder and Chairman, David Warren, delivered a timely presentation on how South Dakota’s modern trust laws are transforming the trust industry in the United States. Framing the discussion within today’s broader context, David acknowledged the significant geopolitical uncertainty we’re facing—from shifting tariffs and increased IRS scrutiny to the broader sense of instability coming out of Washington. In times like these, modern trust law becomes not just relevant, but essential. His presentation explores how, by understanding and leveraging powerful trust planning tools available only in top-tier trust jurisdictions like South Dakota, clients and their advisors can achieve direction and control in their planning, even in unsettled times.

If you weren’t able to attend, we’re pleased to share the full recording of David’s presentation, also available on our YouTube Channel.

 

An In-Depth Look at Dynasty Trusts, Asset Protection Trusts, and Other Modern Trust Laws

David’s session explored how progressive statutes, available only in top-tier jurisdictions like South Dakota, empower families and their advisors with innovative trust solutions that enhance trust planning and administration, including:

• Dynasty Trusts that preserve family wealth over generations because South Dakota allows trusts to continue in perpetuity, avoiding federal taxation on trust assets across multiple generations.
• Domestic Asset Protection Trusts that shield assets from third-party liability and lawsuits while allowing settlors to retain some control over trust assets and enjoy a discretionary benefit during their lifetime.
• Privacy Trust Laws that are considered the best in the United States, offering unmatched confidentiality through provisions like quiet trust statutes and a total seal forbidding the release of trust information forever.
• Directed Trusts which offer trustees and beneficiaries the ability to work with asset managers and independent trust companies of their choosing by unbundling asset management and trust administration functions.
• Trust Protector and Family Advisor roles allowing the settlor, beneficiaries, and their advisors to modify and control many important aspects of the trust, including an option for family advisors to have some control and provide input without elevating the position to that of a fiduciary.
• Decanting allowing the distribution of assets from an irrevocable trust into a new trust with more desirable and flexible provisions and without requiring court intervention.
• Situs Selection and Fiduciary Duty emphasizing the importance of choosing the best trust jurisdiction and the potential fiduciary responsibility for advisors to consider moving trusts to a more favorable jurisdiction.

As you watch the full presentation and explore how these modern trust laws can deliver direction and  control for families and their advisors, reach out to us with any questions or for more information via our contact form or call us at (605) 224-9189.

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One of the most understated but critical elements in preserving wealth and family harmony is privacy. Throughout Succession, the Roy family was wrought with conflict and power struggles, fueled by the siblings’ (next generation’s) full awareness of the extent of the family’s extreme wealth and expansive business empire. This “transparency” created intense competition over who was going to control, and ultimately take over, the family’s sprawling business operations, as well as lead the family after Logan Roy’s death. It is often persuasively argued that full access to information about family wealth and business operations, particularly for young adults, is detrimental to the growth and development of next and subsequent generations for a myriad of reasons, many of which were depicted in Succession.

South Dakota’s Privacy Laws

A solution to this issue is found in South Dakota’s privacy trust laws, considered the strongest and most comprehensive in the nation. Privacy has always been of paramount concern to wealthy families and is one of the primary reasons why billions of dollars have been and are being moved into South Dakota for trust administration from around the globe.

Quiet Trusts

Unlike most states, which require trustees to inform beneficiaries of their interest in a trust at age 18, South Dakota offers unmatched flexibility through its quiet trust statute. This statute allows the settlor, trust protector, and advisors (investment or distribution) to expand, restrict, eliminate, or modify the rights of the beneficiaries to discover information about a trust.

Simply restricting access to information about the full extent of family wealth can be a powerful method of protecting next and subsequent generations from themselves as they grow into and come to understand the responsibility of extreme wealth through proper education and communication.

South Dakota’s Total Seal

South Dakota’s privacy statute also provides for a total seal forbidding the release of trust information, including names of settlors, beneficiaries, and the contents of a trust, to the public during litigation. Most states do not have privacy statutes specific to trusts and, as such, privacy is not mandated or guaranteed by law as it is in South Dakota.

Of the states that do have privacy provisions, most only limit privacy for a certain duration (Delaware is three years); then the information is released to the public, and the privacy provisions are subject to the court’s discretion, which is routinely denied.

In contrast to the public unraveling of the Roy family, real-life families of wealth can preserve harmony and mitigate conflict through intentional privacy planning. South Dakota’s privacy trust laws are clearly superior to those of any other state in the nation and are universally considered by advisors and academics to be among the best and most comprehensive in the world.

If you have any questions or are looking for further information about South Dakota’s privacy provisions and how they can be incorporated into a wealth plan, please reach out to us via our contact form or call us at (605) 224-9189.

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STEP LA’s International Tax & Estate Planning Forum: June 5-6, 2025

Bridgeford Trust Company is proud to once again serve as headline sponsor and featured speaker at STEP LA’s 17th Annual International Tax & Estate Planning Forum. Taking place at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, this event brings together leading national and international experts to explore the latest developments in international private client planning.

If you’re attending, be sure to connect with David Warren, Co-Founder and Chairman, and Doug Mikkonen, Senior Vice President and Senior Trust Officer. Visit them at our booth to learn more about how Bridgeford delivers conflict-free and innovative trust and fiduciary services as well as progressive U.S. modern trust law solutions to best serve the international community.

David will also be speaking on a panel on Thursday, June 5 at 2:00 p.m., alongside Jay Adkisson, Managing Partner at Adkission Pitet LLP. The panel, titled “Crossborder Fisticuffs – Domestic or Foreign Asset Protection,” will examine key asset protection strategies amid global instability, including whether to structure trusts in the U.S. or offshore. Topics will include considerations for selecting trust jurisdictions, structuring and funding trusts, and navigating legal and tax hurdles, all while providing meaningful asset protection benefits.

Orange County Business Journal’s Family-Owned Business Awards: June 12, 2025

The following week, we’re excited to sponsor the 2025 Family-Owned Business Awards, hosted by the Orange County Business Journal. This luncheon and awards program celebrates the achievements and community contributions of family-owned businesses throughout Orange County.

• Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
• Time: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Location: Irvine Marriott (18000 Von Karman Ave., Irvine, CA 92612)
• Interested in attending with us? We will be hosting a table at the event and have a limited number of seats available. If you’d like to join us, please reach out.

For questions or to arrange a meeting during the course of these events, contact us at (605) 224-9189 or via our contact form. If you won’t be at either event, we invite you to connect with Bridgeford Advisors’ California office to schedule a meeting for another time!

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David Warren, Co-Founder and Chairman of Bridgeford Trust Company, will be presenting during the symposium. His session, “Modern Trust Laws: Delivering Direction and Control,” will explore how Directed Trusts, Trust Protectors, and South Dakota’s modern trust laws are transforming the trust industry in the United States. Attendees will learn how these progressive statutes, available only in top-tier trust jurisdictions like South Dakota, empower families and advisors by providing innovative trust solutions that enhance trust administration, investment decision-making, and asset protection strategies.

We look forward to connecting with attendees throughout the day. Be sure to stop by our exhibit table and attend David’s session to learn more about how Bridgeford’s independent and conflict-free approach offers families a personalized, non-institutionalized solution for trust planning that is Big Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Care.

For questions or to arrange a meeting, contact us at (605) 224-9189 or via our contact form. If you won’t be at the conference but will be in the area, we invite you to connect with Bridgeford Advisors’ Philadelphia office to schedule a meeting for another time!

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