What is a Trust?

A trust is an estate-planning device frequently used to manage the distribution of a person's estate.  A trust may be used for a variety of personal, estate, financial, tax and business planning objectives, including: 

• Protection of assets from future personal liability.
• Tax Planning - minimising estate/inheritance, capital gains and income tax.
• Provision for spouses and other dependants, especially those who may be unable to manage their own affairs (young children, the elderly, the disabled or sick).
• Efficient and timely distribution of assets upon death.
• Confidentiality.
• Mitigation of the effects forced heirship.
• Preservation of family wealth.
• Continuity of family business.
• Ownership of assets and investments.
• Establishing pensions or employee stock option plans.
• Protection of lender in corporate financing transactions.
• Creating or making provision for Charities.