If you have a South Dakota trust that Valur will be administering, there are certain documents that we will need from you so that we can comply with federal law. The good news is that the documents are pretty straightforward. After you’ve signed your trust agreement, we’ll reach out to you with any additional required documentation. Here are the types of documents that may be needed:
Driver’s Licenses
We request driver’s licenses from trust grantors when they set up trusts. But we also need them for any investment advisor or distribution advisor who is currently acting. If you’ve named an investment advisor or distribution advisor for your trust, we will ask for a photo of that person’s driver’s license. Passports are acceptable in lieu of driver’s licenses.
Every grantor and adult beneficiary of a trust must fill out and sign either a Form W-9 (if a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number) or a Form W-8 (if a non-resident). You’ve probably filled out one of these before, perhaps when you started a new job. These are fillable forms, and you can just e-sign.
Finally, we need each grantor to sign a short form with some biographical information about them, like their job. These are fillable forms, and you can just e-sign.
About Valur
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Mani Mahadevan
Founder & CEO
Mani is the founder and CEO of Valur. He brings deep financial and strategic expertise from his prior roles at McKinsey & Company and Goldman Sachs. Mani earned his degree from the University of Michigan and launched Valur in 2020 to transform how individuals and advisors approach tax planning.