The South Dakota Advantage
South Dakota offers some of the most client-friendly trust laws in the country, and you don’t need to live there to benefit.
A professional trustee aligned with your richer life.
At its best, a trust is about care. It’s a structure that helps support the people and purposes that matter most to you, long after the ink is dry.
Trustee services that are customized and human.
Trusts are often experienced as technical, intimidating, and overwhelming. We built Brighton Jones Trust Company (BJTC) to be the opposite: approachable and human. BJTC was built around the core belief that trust services should feel like the rest of your Brighton Jones relationship—expert, deeply personal, and curated for your family’s evolving needs.
And as a South Dakota-chartered, regulated trust company, we bring one of the country’s strongest trust jurisdictions to clients wherever they call home.
Why Brighton Jones Trust Company
Integrated Team of Experts
BJTC works with your Brighton Jones team and other advisors so that trust decisions are made in full view of your overall wealth, estate plan, and personal values. Our internal team of experts is comprised of Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), lawyers, and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS® who are dedicated to helping you live a richer life.
Flexible and Built for You
BJTC offers continuity, neutrality, and fiduciary expertise in a rapidly changing legal and tax landscape. We tailor our services to your needs and encourage ongoing conversations.
The South Dakota Advantage
As a South Dakota chartered trust company, we pair one of the country’s strongest trust jurisdictions with a fiduciary duty to act in your best interest. Regardless of where you call home, BJTC serves as the nexus for you to take advantage of South Dakota’s taxpayer-friendly trust laws.
Why We Launched the Brighton Jones Trust Company
In this blog, Jessica Andrews and Eric Wikstrom explain why we created BJTC and how it helps our clients live their richer lives.
A trust answers three important questions:
1. What do we want this wealth to do?
2. Who is it here to support?
3. How will decisions be made in the future?
When structured and administered thoughtfully, a trust can:
Protect what matters
Shield assets from lawsuits, creditors, and life's curveballs.
Support the people you love
Care for loved ones who are young, inexperienced, or vulnerable.
Translate your values
Turn your priorities into clear, durable guardrails for future generations.
Prepare the next generation
Help rising generations grow into prepared, confident stewards of what you've built.
Reduce tax drag
Leverage estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax exemptions .
Ease transitions
Reduce friction and confusion when circumstances change.
Learn More About Trusts
Directed vs. Non-Directed Trusts: What’s the Difference?
Deciding who is responsible for trust administration, investment of trust assets, and distributions
to beneficiaries.
Why Corporate Trustees Outperform Individual Trustees
Corporate trustees bring specialized expertise, but they can also provide stability and continuity for families.
Frequently Asked Questions
What roles can Brighton Jones Trust Company serve in?
What roles can Brighton Jones Trust Company serve in?
BJTC can serve in various roles, including as trustee, co-trustee, successor trustee, directed trustee, and trust protector.
How does Brighton Jones Trust Company charge for its services?
How does Brighton Jones Trust Company charge for its services?
Generally, BJTC charges a trustee fee based upon the value of the trust assets. Minimum fees and additional fees may apply. Please contact BJTC directly for complete details and applicability for your specific trust engagement.
Do I need to live in South Dakota to benefit from South Dakota trust laws?
Do I need to live in South Dakota to benefit from South Dakota trust laws?
No. By naming BJTC—a South Dakota-chartered trust company—as trustee, you gain access to some of the country's most client-favorable trust laws regardless of where you call home.
What types of trusts or assets does Brighton Jones Trust Company not accept?
What types of trusts or assets does Brighton Jones Trust Company not accept?
BJTC works exclusively with U.S.-based trusts and assets. We do not administer Special Needs Trusts, hold cryptocurrency directly, or take on high-risk or active business assets.
How do I get started?
How do I get started?
Start by talking with your Brighton Jones advisor or contacting trusts@brightonjones.com.
Your family's story deserves a trustee who knows it.
For Brighton Jones clients, your advisor is the right starting point. They'll help you think through whether a trust makes sense and introduce you to the team from there.
Not yet a client? We'd love to start the conversation.