A corporate bond trustee is a financial institution that is granted trust powers, such as a commercial bank or trust company. This entity, in turn, has a duty to the bond issuer to enforce the terms of a bond indenture. A trustee sees that bond interest payments and principal repayments are made as scheduled and protects the interests of the bondholders if the issuer defaults.

UMB is a nationally recognized and ranked provider of corporate trust and escrow services. For more information, please contact a UMB Corporate Trust representative.

A bond is a form of loan. When a bank issues a loan, it typically appoints one of its lending officers to monitor the borrower and its compliance with the loan agreement. It’s a similar scenario when a corporation or government issues a bond. A bond trustee is often appointed for a similar purpose. Ideally, a bond trustee is a stable, experienced financial institution that is likely to remain strong for the life of the bond (typically thirty years).

The duties of both the bond issuer and the bond trustee are established under a contract called a trust indenture (or bond indenture). Usually, the bond trustee collects the funds to pay scheduled interest and principal on the bonds and receives financial and other periodic reports from the issuer.

To continue learning about the role of bond trustee, read “Defining the role of a bond trustee or paying agent.”

A paying agent has different duties than a bond trustee, although the bond trustee often acts in both roles. The paying agent collects and distributes the principal and interest payments on the bonds. Unlike a trustee, a paying agent doesn’t have the ability to enforce the bond payment obligations. If there’s a paying agent but no bond trustee, there’s no independent party available to protect the rights of the bondholders if there is a default on the bonds.

To continue learning about the role of paying agents, read “Defining the role of a bond trustee or paying agent.”

An escrow agent is a person or entity that holds property in trust for a third party while a transaction is finalized or a disagreement is resolved. Typically, a financial institution provides the escrow agent services and can hold assets, invest funds, handle tax reporting and manage distributions on behalf of the organization it represents.

An ideal escrow agent has a comprehensive team of advisors working on behalf of its client. This includes in-house attorneys and a specialized relationship managers experienced in a broad range of corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, capital raise or litigation settlements.

UMB is a nationally recognized and ranked provider of corporate trust and escrow services. For more information, please contact a UMB Corporate Trust representative.