If you’ll be attending any of the events below, we’d love to see you. Please reach out to coordinate a time to meet with our team while we’re there!

Trusted Advisor Nashville Music Summit: November 12 | Nashville, TN

Bridgeford Trust Company is looking forward to Trusted Advisor’s 2nd Annual Music X Nashville Summit, a day dedicated to the conversations shaping the future of the music industry.

Sydney Warren, Managing Director, will speak on the panel Beyond the Music: Building the Artist Family Office. She’ll be joined by Hope Patterson and Conor Barnes from Withum, Skyler Wanberg from Leverage Capital, and moderator David Shotts from Symphony Risk as they discuss the planning, structure, and long-term strategies behind managing increasingly complex financial lives in the music industry.

Hawaii Tax Institute: November 15–19 | Honolulu, HI

David Warren, Co-Founder & Chairman, Doug Mikkonen, Senior VP & Senior Trust Officer, and Sydney Warren will then be traveling to Honolulu for the 63rd Annual Hawaii Tax Institute. If you’re attending, be sure to stop by our exhibit table to meet with our team and pick up some fun giveaways!

On Monday, November 16, David will present Family Dynamics and Intergenerational Wealth Planning: Preserving Family Wealth and Harmony alongside Judy Lee of Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel LLP and Judge Roger Lund of the Ventura County Superior Court. Building on themes explored in our December 2025 livestream, the session will examine how family dynamics influence the successful transfer of wealth across generations, highlighting practical tools for advisors, including beneficiary communication, family meetings, and family mission statements.

Join Us for a Private Evening Reception! Bridgeford Trust Company and Halbach | Szwarc Law Firm invite you to enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and conversation during the conference.

Date: Monday, November 16, 2026
Time: 7:30–9:30 p.m.
Location: Lanikai Lounge, top floor of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Kalia Tower
RSVP here to join us.

NYSBA’s Trusts and Estates Law Institute: November 18–19 | New York, NY

Bridgeford Trust Company is then back in NYC for the New York State Bar Association’s 22nd Annual Sophisticated Trusts and Estates Law Institute. The two-day program will address domestic and international developments in trust and estate planning, administration, and litigation.

David Warren will present Stranger Things — Creation of Foreign Trusts in the U.S. on Thursday, November 19, as part of the program’s focus on international planning. If you’re attending, we invite you to visit Bridgeford’s exhibit table to meet our team and learn more about our international trust planning services and the power of South Dakota’s modern trust laws.

The 1841 Foundation Tax Annual Summit: November 19 | Miami, FL

Bridgeford Trust Company is also pleased to sponsor The 1841 Foundation’s 2026 Tax Annual Summit. Centered on the theme Preserving Wealth in a Fragmented World, the summit will bring together professionals to examine international tax, wealth preservation, and the implications of a changing global environment for families and their advisors.

We look forward to seeing friends and colleagues throughout November! To arrange a time to connect with our team, call (605) 224-9189 or use our contact form. You can also follow Bridgeford Trust Company on LinkedIn for updates from these events and more.

  

In this episode, David Warren – Co-Founder and Chairman of Bridgeford Trust Company – sits down with Paul Fabiano – Attorney-At-Law at PTF Legal – for a conversation that reaches back to Bridgeford’s earliest days. Paul played an important role in bringing Bridgeford its first trust relationship, beginning a long collaboration focused on using modern trust law to solve complex planning challenges for families and their advisors.

Drawing on Paul’s extensive experience in tax, estate, trust, business, and insurance planning, David and Paul explore the evolution of sophisticated trust planning, including income tax planning, asset protection, and directed trusts. They also discuss the curiosity and problem-solving mindset behind identifying new opportunities and improving existing planning structures.

The conversation highlights South Dakota’s continued evolution as a modern trust jurisdiction and the flexibility its laws provide for advanced planning, including the ability to pair professional trust administration with the continued involvement of a family’s existing advisors.

You can listen to our latest episode on Bridgeford’s podcast page, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, and SoundCloud—or watch it on our YouTube channel.

Bridgeford Trust Company’s Delivering Direction & Control podcast was developed to educate, challenge, and inspire listeners. As we interview experts in the trust planning arena, we keep listeners updated on developments regarding modern trust law and provide practical discussion on the powerful trust planning opportunities available to advisors around the country and the world—all in an effort to deliver far more direction and control to clients and their advisors than ever before. Check out all of our episodes here: bridgefordtrust.com/podcasts.

If you have questions on any of the topics discussed in this latest episode, don’t hesitate to reach out to us through our contact form or call us at (605) 224-9189.

  

STEP Miami Summit: October 21–22 | Coral Gables, FL

Bridgeford is looking forward to STEP Miami’s 2026 Summit, taking place October 21–22 at The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida.

This year’s sold-out summit, centered on the theme Shaping the Next Step in Legacy, will explore the evolving role of stewardship, governance, and long-term planning in preserving wealth across generations.

Ozzy Martinez, Senior Trust Officer at Bridgeford Trust Company and Managing Director of Bridgeford Global, and Sydney Warren, Managing Director at Bridgeford, will be available throughout the event. If you’ll be attending, we invite you to stop by Bridgeford’s exhibit table or contact us to arrange a time to connect.

During the summit, Bridgeford will also be co-hosting a private dinner with UMA Wealth on October 22, providing an additional opportunity to connect with colleagues and friends in the international planning community. Space is limited, but if you’re interested in joining us, please reach out to inquire about availability.

Cocktails at the Marina: October 29 | Fort Lauderdale, FL

Bridgeford is also looking forward to the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, where we’ll be co-hosting Cocktails at the Marina alongside our friends at Affinity on October 29.

Join us for cocktails and conversation during one of the world’s premier boating events! David Warren, Co-Founder & Chairman, and Sydney Warren look forward to connecting with attendees!

Date: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Time: 4:00–6:00 PM
Location: The Shorely at Marina Village, 849 Seabreeze Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL

Interested in attending? RSVP to be added to our guest list.

In connection with the boat show, we also recently explored how South Dakota trusts may be used in planning for yachts, private aircraft, and other unique assets. Read our article, Structuring Yachts and Private Aircraft with South Dakota Trusts, to learn more.

For additional information about these upcoming events or to schedule a time to connect with the Bridgeford team, please reach out through our contact page or call (605) 224-9189. We look forward to seeing you in South Florida!

  

While in Switzerland, David will also be hosting a gathering and leading a fireside chat in Zurich on Thursday, October 22. Colleagues and friends in the area are invited to join us for drinks and conversation, with additional details below!

The inaugural Pepperdine Summit will bring together business-owning families, family office professionals, and industry experts for discussions on multigenerational wealth planning, family governance, succession, philanthropy, and the evolving global financial landscape.

As part of the summit’s programming on October 19, David will participate in a panel discussion exploring the history and evolution of trust law, from its origins in medieval England to modern trust structures in the United States and beyond. The discussion will cover the emergence of progressive U.S. trust jurisdictions such as South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nevada, including planning opportunities involving Dynasty Trusts, Directed Trusts, asset protection, and decanting, as well as cross-border considerations for internationally connected families.

Join Us for Drinks in Zurich – October 22

Bridgeford Trust Company invites colleagues and friends in the area to join us for a gathering in Zurich on Thursday, October 22, alongside our friends at UMA Wealth, BFI Infinity, and Trusted Advisor! The evening will feature a fireside chat led by David Warren exploring the impact of domestic and international geopolitical uncertainty on trust planning, along with an opportunity to enjoy drinks, conversation, and connect with colleagues and friends.

Date & Time: Thursday, October 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Location: Almodobar – Bleicherweg 68, 8002 Zurich

If you’re interested in joining us, please contact us so we can plan accordingly.

Unable to join us for drinks? David would still welcome the opportunity to connect while he’s in Switzerland. Please reach out if you’d like to coordinate a time to meet during his visit.

  

Rather than holding the asset individually, a yacht or aircraft may be owned through an LLC or other entity that is ultimately held within a properly designed trust. For families already incorporating South Dakota trusts into their estate and wealth planning, this can create additional opportunities around asset protection, privacy, control, and succession.

Asset Protection & Liability Considerations

Yachts and private aircraft are significant assets, but they also carry unique operational and liability considerations.

An appropriately structured ownership entity may help separate the asset from other personal or family holdings. That entity can then be incorporated into a broader South Dakota trust designed around the family’s asset protection and estate planning objectives.

Depending on the family’s circumstances and objectives, South Dakota’s Domestic Asset Protection Trust laws may provide an additional layer of protection against future third-party creditor claims while offering considerable flexibility in the design and administration of the trust.

Privacy & Confidentiality

Privacy is another important consideration for many families holding substantial assets.

South Dakota’s nationally recognized privacy and quiet trust statutes provide families and their advisors with significant flexibility when establishing trusts for long-term wealth planning. These laws are designed to provide privacy—not secrecy—and can help protect sensitive family and trust information from public disclosure.

For families already focused on maintaining discretion around their businesses, investments, residences, and other holdings, considering privacy when structuring ownership of a yacht or private aircraft can be a natural extension of the broader planning process.

Directed Trusts & Flexibility

South Dakota’s directed trust laws are particularly well suited for assets that require specialized knowledge or ongoing management.

A Directed Trust separates trust administration from investment, distribution, and other designated decision-making responsibilities. This allows families to retain trusted advisors or other designated fiduciaries while an independent South Dakota trustee provides trust administration.

For yachts and private aircraft, that flexibility can be especially valuable. Families may already work with aviation professionals, yacht managers, family offices, or other advisors who understand the asset and the family’s objectives. A Directed Trust can allow those relationships and areas of expertise to remain part of the overall structure.

Planning for the Next Generation

Ownership of a yacht or aircraft can raise important long-term questions. Who should own the asset in the future? Who should be permitted to use it? Who will make decisions about maintenance, expenses, or an eventual sale?

A properly drafted trust can establish a framework for those decisions in advance. For families using Dynasty Trusts or other multigenerational planning strategies, a yacht or private aircraft can become part of the same long-term approach used for businesses, real estate, investments, and other significant family assets.

For families that own or are considering the purchase of a yacht or private aircraft, South Dakota trust planning can provide direction, control, and flexibility in how these assets are owned, managed, protected, and ultimately passed to future generations.

To learn more about how South Dakota trust planning may support yachts, private aircraft, and other unique assets, call (605) 224-9189 or contact us online.