Investment Services for Individuals

VNB/FSNH: The advantages of a trust specialty and
The advantages of working with a bank.

Why Turn to the VNB/FSNH Trust Department for Investment Services?

Because we are more than just money managers. We are trust officers, as well, and that means that we are concerned about the full financial life that you've planned for yourself, your family, and your family business.

Trust officers, unlike many investment house money managers, are in the business of long-term relationship building. We keep in mind, for example, that one client's children need college educations, that another client dearly wants a country home, and that another client expects the family business to support both grandchildren and great grandchildren. So, more than most money managers, we measure opportunities for financial growth against risks to financial security. We have been called "cocoon builders." We build retirement cocoons, college fund cocoons, house-in-the-country cocoons and take-care-of-the-kids cocoons. They are woven from carefully selected investments -- investments chosen for their value, ones that are unlikely to dissolve in difficult times.

It's delicate work, weaving a cocoon. We must preserve our clients' financial integrity while doggedly pursuing value-laden opportunities. To do this, we watch the markets. We make full use of the counsel of a carefully selected group of investment advisors (including equity research analysts, brokers, investment counselors, and the Value Line survey). We actively seek out investment opportunities that will satisfy our clients' financial objectives.

But equally importantly we know and respect the unique financial aspirations of each of our clients. And we do that so successfully that many of our clients remain with our Trust Department for years, decades -- some even for life times.

Why Turn to a Bank for Investment Management?

A bank offers trust and investment accounts a continuity that no individual money manager can duplicate. Unlike independent investment managers, VNB/FSNH cannot die or become disabled. And even in the extremely unlikely event of a bank failure, Federal bank regulations insure that the assets of individual trusts and investment accounts remain protected and are separate from Bank assets.

A bank can do all of the chores you cannot or would rather not do: We are well-equipped for the routine record-keeping and reporting required of trusts and for the deadline-watching required of investment managers. These are tasks that individual investors and non-corporate trustees typically find cumbersome, daunting, and expensive to accomplish. And as dreadfully unexciting as some of these tasks may be -- tasks like depositing dividend checks and clipping coupons -- small mistakes can be expensive. The government penalizes trusts that fail to file reports in a timely manner. And millions of dollars are lost each year because individual trustees and small investors don't pay close enough attention to take advantage of difficult-to-remember conversion privileges.

A bank can bring to any trust or investment account "real world accountability." We are audited both externally and internally on an annual basis. We carry Errors & Omissions insurance against the very unlikely event that we would fail in our ethical or fiduciary duties. Errors & Omissions insurance is prohibitively expensive for most individuals serving as trustees or investment managers.

VNB/FSNH has a stellar reputation for innovative products (like the Socially Responsible Banking Fund ® and the Visa® Card for Kids) that serve our local communities and all of New England well. We can structure an individual investment management plan that leaves as much or as little of the day-to-day decision-making in your hands as you like.

Interested? Have questions? You can drop by one of our offices, call us at 1-800-334-6862, or contact us by e-mail.