Trust managers are individuals who enter into relationships with customers and agree to oversee their assets, which could include real estate or money. Customers set up trusts in order to safeguard their property as well as achieve tax benefits and leave money to their minor children, who then can access it at a certain age. These people must have solid sales skills and be organized and responsible. A person who would like to become a trust manager needs to complete four years of post-secondary education and gain practical field experience to be successful in this complex industry.
If you desire to become a trust manager, you should complete a four-year bachelor’s degree in the areas of accounting, business administration, or trust management. Requirements to enroll in this type of program include completing your potential college’s admissions application and providing a copy of your high school diploma or the equivalent certification. Your school also will want you to turn in your high school course transcript and might ask to see your results from recent standardized tests.
Courses that prepare you to enter this field cover financial principles and industry law. For example, you need to study how to record revenues and expenditures on accounting sheets, as a person who seeks to become a trust manager must be able to track company expenses. Classes additionally provide information about estate planning, investment analysis, and the fiduciary responsibilities of a person who oversees a trust. This information will help you to market your company’s financial products and manage customer accounts legally when you become a trust manager.
Acquiring field experience also is necessary to excel in the field. You can look for internships at financial services companies that cater to people who need help with managing their assets and wealth. As an intern, you need to hone your skills with giving customers advice on how to approach their financial plans based on new developments in industry regulations or innovative products that your company makes available. Building relationships with existing clients while also drawing new customers to the business is a valuable part of working in a real-world situation as you strive to become a trust manager.
Many employers prefer professionals in this career area to be certified. You can pursue certification by applying to take an examination and then completing and passing the industry test provided by professional industry boards and institutes. Maintaining this credential is possible as long as you complete continuing education courses that allow you to keep your knowledge of principles in the field current.
