Private Bank

Our Private Bankers are here to assist with all your financial needs. Our white glove service is designed to simplify your financial life, as we work closely with both internal wealth professionals and external advisors. We focus on your needs and make banking better by understanding your entire financial picture.

Here is what you can expect:

• White glove service centered around you and your family’s needs
• Mobile and online platforms for secure banking anytime/anywhere
• Dedicated ChoiceOne team members who are experienced, nimble and responsive

Borrowing can play an important role in helping you reach your financial goals. We offer tailored lending solutions for our Wealth clients and craft solutions by matching them to your goals.

Mortgages

We work closely with our mortgage loan officers to help identify the lending strategy that’s right for you.

Securities Based Lending

Our Private Bank line of credit allows you to free up money for your short-term needs and keeps your long-term investments work for you.

Investing is a powerful financial strategy that allows individuals and businesses to grow their wealth over time. It involves allocating resources to various assets with the expectation of generating a return on investment. Successful investing requires knowledge, strategy, and a long-term perspective.

We work with you to construct investment portfolios that are in line with your risk/reward tolerance. Wealth can mean security and freedom, and managing that wealth requires time and expertise. Our investment expertise allows you to be less concerned about managing your money, and more about enjoying it.

Financial planning is a comprehensive process that empowers individuals and businesses to manage their finances, achieve their financial goals, and secure their future. Whether you're aiming for a comfortable retirement, buying a home, starting a business, or simply achieving financial stability, effective financial planning is the cornerstone of success.

We’ll assist you in managing your finances, monitoring your account, distributing funds to your family, and more.

Establishing a trust can help safeguard your assets and transfer them to the next generation efficiently. We provide guidance in developing and executing sophisticated wealth protection and asset transfer strategies. We work closely with your family and outside advisors to ensure your trust is managed according to your wishes.

When Acting as Sole Trustee:

• We take complete responsibility for management of the Trust, including investments and distributions

When Acting as Co-Trustee:

• We share responsibility for making investment and distribution decisions with the other Trustee(s)

When Acting as Agent for Trustee

• A Trustee hires us to assume certain responsibilities, but retains final say on all decisions

Financial Management

• Custody and Safe-Keeping of your trust assets
• Invest trust assets in accordance with your objectives
• Pay expenses and fees for services rendered on behalf of the Trust

Planning and Advice

• Analyze your trust provisions and create a long-term plan for administration
• Balance the needs of all trust beneficiaries, both current and future
• Offer unbiased, profession, objective decision making and advice to your, co-trustees and beneficiaries

Distribution and Reporting

• Review and make distributions to beneficiaries as specified in the terms of the trust
• Communicate the trust’s performance and explain the reasoning behind investment and distribution decisions regularly to the beneficiaries, co-trustees and outside advisors as is necessary

Tax and Legal Requirements

• Monitor, interpret, and comply with state and federal laws
• Prepare and file your trust’s income tax returns
• Maintain trust records, and keep track of custody and ownership

Picking the right executor, and team of supporting professionals, can make a difference in how well your plans are carried out, and how efficiently your loved ones receive their inheritance. As your executor, we take great care to ease the burden of your loved ones, and ensure your wealth ends up where you want it.What does an executor do?Identifies, collects, secures, and values an estate’s assets and liabilities.

• Preserves the value of the estate until distributions are made to beneficiaries.
• Manages estate assets to satisfy ongoing expenses and distributions.

How can we work with your estate?

• When Acting as Sole Executor: We take complete responsibility for settlement, administration, and estate disposition
• When Acting as Co-Executor: We share responsibility for oversight and administration with other individuals
• When Acting as Agent for the Executor: An executor hires us to perform administrative duties but retains final responsibility.

Estate Administration

• File your probate estate with the Court
• Inventory and value the estate assets for estate tax purposes/pay inventory fees
• File required notices to all interested parties, heirs, beneficiaries, and known creditors
• Secure estate assets-cancel credit cards, review insurance coverage, transfer vehicle registrations, etc
• Collect all financial assets, and pay debts and expenses of the estate
• Perform record keeping in compliance with tax law standards
• Make final distributions and close the estate

Investment Management

• Evaluate and determine reserves to meet future distributions, debts, expenses, taxes, and other payments

Accounting and Tax Management

• Collect and examine income tax returns, bank statements, and gift tax returns for prior three years
• Prepare and file all necessary tax returns for the estate and pay all tax liabilities in a timely manner