Q. If trust divisions are so good, why don't we hear about them?
A. It' s true, we have been a well-kept secret. However, as the barriers between financial service providers come down, more customers are discovering we provide a wider range of products and services than our competitors for less cost.

Q. Aren't trust services just for the wealthy?
A. Our customers don't think so. Most of them are prudent investors but generally don't consider themselves wealthy. We invite you to visit us or Contact a First Midwest Trust Representative. If our services aren't right for you we will help you choose a better alternative.

Q. What distinguishes you from other investment managers?
A. First Midwest Trust offers each our clients a service guarantee. (Contact a trust officer for details) Also, our investment professionals are available to meet one to one with our clients.

Q. How is First Midwest Trust compensated?
A. Our fee is based on the market value of your account. Therefore, our interest is identical to yours. We want your account to grow.

Q. My broker manages my money and doesn't charge. How does he/she do that?
A. Brokers are paid commissions for buying and selling securities in your account. Their income is dependent on your account being active. While there is nothing wrong with this, we believe it creates an incentive to trade for the sake of earning commissions.

Q. Aren't trust providers ultra conservative in their investment approach and isn't their investment performance record inferior to that of brokers and investment advisors?
A. Whether a trust provider is conservative or aggressive depends on the need of the individual customer. We choose an investment strategy appropriate for your unique situation. Studies show that trust investment performance is equal to or better than that of the other money managers.

Q. What should I do with my money now?
A. Don't consider hiring anyone who answers that question quickly. The initial building block of our relationship with you is the interview process during which we complete what we call an investor profile. Information from your profile allows us to make recommendations that are tailored to your investment needs.

Q. How would you describe your stock selection process?
A. At First Midwest Trust, we utilize a disciplined selection process to identify undervalued stocks. Our quantitative approach identifies stocks with the highest probability of providing excess returns when compared to the broad market. We use a dynamic weighting scheme to emphasize the factors that are working best at any given time. We believe our approach will lead to more consistent performance than that of managers who utilize straight growth or value strategies.

Q. How would you describe your fixed-income strategy?
A. Fixed-income security selection is based on quality and liquidity requirements. Securities will be traded for the following reasons: credit quality concern; a shift to higher or lower quality bonds as spreads change; a shift to shorter or longer maturities as our interest rate outlook changes. The disciplined application of this strategy should provide an attractive, risk adjusted total return over the long run.

Q. Why should I pay you a fee to manage my money when a no-load mutual fund will do it for free?
A. All mutual funds charge fees (called expenses). These fees average about 1% per year. The customer does not see these charges because they are deducted directly from the fund.

*Trust Services are offered through First Midwest Bank. Most trust products are not FDIC insured.