We’re Different. Let Us Count the Reasons.
1. Personalized Services
When it comes to your money and your financial future, one size doesn’t fit all. At Tri-Star, we listen. We get to know you. And we tailor our services to meet your needs.
A Tri-Star Story by Sandy Worner
I am always impressed to see our administrators giving up evenings, lunches, or weekends to serve our clients. This is precious time spent away from their family and friends. But they don’t seem to mind, and they always serve with a smile. Debbie will meet with many of her clients to take them out for dinner or lunch. One Friday, she came back into the office, after hours, to get a telephone number for a client that was in distress. Once, Debbie made a special trip to help a client who left her purse in a shopping cart. She took the client to the police station, got her a new check book, and helped take care of other financial matters. But this story goes beyond one person. On the morning of Teresa’s, our Trust Administrative Assistant, baby shower, she met with one of her farming clients as the fiduciary to discuss the share crop agreement. Danielle will make a special trip to the store to get root beer when she knows a particular client is coming in. Dawn has cookies, tea, and coffee ready for clients. Jack will meet with his various church endowment clients during evening hours. These meetings typically run two hours and are scheduled quarterly for each endowment. Once, Mary Jo drove all the way to Detroit to purchase scones for a client on his death bed. Penny has met with realtors on weekends. She has even driven to Sebwaing on a Saturday to handle post-death distributions to family members. What many of us don’t know is that our administrators go far beyond acting as a fiduciary or just taking care of assets. They have become social workers, psychologists, and trusted friends.
For more information on Sandy or to contact her, please click here.
2. Integrated Approach
We approach wealth management by blending investment management with financial, retirement, estate and charitable planning. Seeing the big picture makes it simple to stay focused on doing what’s right for you.
A Tri-Star Story by Bobbi Putman
In December of 2011, a few Tri-Star Trust Bank team members were fortunate enough to meet with a charming retired couple. We quickly realized that these prospects could benefit from our services and expertise. After the very first meeting, I'm certain they realized this also. To say they had questions and misconceptions regarding the structure of their Charitable Remainder Trust would be an understatement. It also appeared as if the allocation of investments within this charitable trust benefited the financial advisors more than the retired couple who started it.
These prospects have since become clients of Tri-Star. Their team of professionals includes a CPA, two attorneys and a CFA who work on reforming the trust to synchronize the client's present income needs with their future altruistic intentions. Other services their team provides include pursuing and organizing financial and estate documents, extensive investment research, analyzing tax consequences, petitioning the court, and much more. All of these tasks are done to reach one goal…to simplify their lives. It is a rewarding day at the office when your job helps people that have spent their lives helping others.
For more information on Bobbi or to contact her, please click here.
3. Highly Experienced Professionals
Working as a team allows each officer to utilize his or her expertise on behalf of each Tri-Star client. Our experience is backed up by strong credentials. At Tri-Star, you get attorneys, certified public accountants, chartered financial analysts, certified trust and financial advisors, certified retirement services professionals and trust school graduates working together for your benefit.
4. Objectivity
We’re focused on making your finances work for you. The only product we’ll sell you is our expertise. No matter what your particular needs are, you can be sure we’ll use all of our experience and knowledge to create a plan that simplifies your financial life.
5. Situation-Specific Tax Management
Everyone’s tax situation is unique. We help you control when the government gets your money and how much they get—even as your circumstances change.
6. Local Control and Ownership
We live and work where you do. We’re not a huge corporation. We’re here, caring for our communities. Close to home; close to you.
A Tri-Star Story by Gina Ruhlig
Tri-Star’s Employee Benefits Department is made up of Jane Hagen, Laura Janson, and myself,
who provide “WOW” service to plan participants on a regular basis. How do we do that? By being available to participants through a local address and phone number. A recent example is an individual who stopped by our Saginaw office. She had never chosen an investment election and was in the default fund. She also wasn’t currently contributing. In one meeting, we were able to put her in contact with a plan provider so she could choose an investment suited to her risk tolerance. She also decided to start contributing again so she could take advantage of the company match. On top of that, she brought in a statement from a previous provider and we helped her initiate a rollover to her 401(k). Our local service made all of this a very easy process for the participant.
For more information on Gina or to contact her, please click here.
