Star Metro - New Hampshire Shores Trust Expands CFSI's Advisor-Friendly Trust Services Capabilities

MANCHESTER, NH / ACCESS Newswire / August 10, 2026 / Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE:CBU) today introduced New Hampshire Shores Trust, a new, advisor-friendly line of business based in one of the nation's leading trust jurisdictions, furthering the company's continued commitment to giving financial advisors the trust and fiduciary solutions they need to serve their clients in the evolving wealth management landscape.

New Hampshire Shores Trust provides financial advisors direct access to New Hampshire's advantages as a premier trust jurisdiction with trust laws that provide a distinct set of structural, legal, and tax advantages not available in most states. Trusts administered in New Hampshire benefit from no state income or capital gains tax, provided certain criteria are met; no rule against perpetuities for true dynasty trusts; modern directed trust statutes; and access to one of the only dedicated trust courts in the country. Through directed and delegated trust services, asset protection trusts, and dynasty and multigenerational planning strategies, New Hampshire Shores Trust helps advisors, RIAs, independent and hybrid firms, estate planning attorneys, and family offices, serve clients' trust and estate planning needs while preserving the relationships they have built over time.

The new office is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, and is led by Sean Houghton, CTFA, Director of Personal Trust Services. Sean brings more than 20 years of experience in trust administration, fiduciary services, and financial planning to the role, having most recently served as Vice President and Regional Manager at Nottingham Trust.

"With roughly $124 trillion expected to change hands in the U.S. through 2048, advisors need trust solutions that support their clients' best interests without disrupting the relationships they have spent years building," said Sean Houghton, CTFA, Director of Personal Trust Services, New Hampshire Shores Trust. "Our directed and delegated trust models keep the advisor at the center of their relationships while we handle the administration, inclusive of the advantages that come with a New Hampshire trust situs."

New Hampshire Shores Trust is a division of Hand Benefits & Trust Company (HB&T), a member of the BPAS family, and operates as a partner to CFSI sister company Nottingham Trust.

"New Hampshire Shores Trust builds on decades of trust administration experience and puts it to work for financial advisors and the families they serve," said Paul Neveu, Chief Executive Officer of BPAS. "This launch reflects our continued investment in giving advisors the trust solutions their clients need, and we're proud to support New Hampshire Shores Trust as they bring that expertise to more advisors and families across the country."

"The breadth and depth of our diversified business model allows us to invest in specialized capabilities that create long-term value for clients, advisors, and shareholders," said Dimitar Karaivanov, President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Financial System, Inc. "New Hampshire Shores Trust is a natural extension of our national trust and wealth management capabilities, providing financial advisors with access to one of the country's leading trust jurisdictions while reinforcing our commitment to delivering sophisticated fiduciary solutions through our family of companies."

To learn more about New Hampshire Shores Trust, visit nhshorestrust.com.

About New Hampshire Shores Trust
New Hampshire Shores Trust is a division of Hand Benefits & Trust Company, a Texas- chartered trust company, a member of the BPAS family of companies and a subsidiary of Community Financial System, Inc. (NYSE:CBU). New Hampshire Shores Trust provides advisor-friendly, directed and delegated trust services with access to New Hampshire's advantages as a premier trust jurisdiction, built to help financial advisors protect and grow client relationships through every generation.

About Community Financial System, Inc.
Community Financial System, Inc. is a diversified financial services company that is focused on four main business lines: banking services, employee benefit services, insurance services, and wealth management services. Its banking subsidiary, Community Bank, N.A., is among the country's 100 largest banking institutions with over $17 billion in assets and operates approximately 200 customer facilities across Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont, Western Massachusetts, and Southern New Hampshire. The Company's Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc. subsidiary is a leading provider of employee benefits administration, trust services, collective investment fund administration, and actuarial consulting services to customers on a national scale. The Company's OneGroup NY, Inc. subsidiary is a top 68 U.S. insurance agency. The Company also offers comprehensive financial planning, trust administration, and wealth management services through its Nottingham Financial Group operating unit. The Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and the Company's stock trades under the symbol CBU.

Media Contact: Olya Goldenberg VP of Public Relations, INGAGE [email protected]

SOURCE: New Hampshire Shores Trust

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

A.Harris--SMC