Managing a trust carries serious responsibility. Trustees are the legal owners of the trust assets, but they hold them on behalf of the beneficiaries – and must always act in their best interests.
Trusts need to be run with clarity, care, and full compliance with both the trust deed and wider trust law.
Trustee responsibilities
Whether you’re a professional trustee, a family member, or stepping in for the first time, the core duties remain the same:
- Administer the trust in line with the terms of the deed
- Comply with UK trust law and HMRC obligations
- Hold regular trustee meetings and make informed decisions
- Manage trust assets (e.g. cash, investments, property)
- Make distributions to beneficiaries as appropriate
- Keep accurate records and annual accounts
- Handle all tax filings, payments, and disclosures
How we support trustees
At Wilson Partners, we work with trustees to simplify trust administration and ensure nothing gets missed. Our support includes:
Preparing trust accounts
Managing trust registration and compliance with the Trust Registration Service (TRS)
Filing trust tax returns and inheritance tax forms
Calculating tax liabilities and managing payments
Keeping you updated on changes to trust / tax legislation and their impact
Tax advice on distributing trust income and / or assets to beneficiaries
Reviewing the ongoing relevance of a trust and tax advice on potential wind-up
We also help new and existing trustees get up to speed – especially in cases where records have lapsed or the trust hasn’t kept pace with regulatory requirements. We’ll assist in bringing everything up to date, liaise with HMRC if needed, and provide a clear action plan.
Our trust services
Our people
It’s all about the people! We work hard to maintain our unique culture and recruit those who share our passion for client service, the value we can add to those around us and our never-ending quest to develop ourselves and our clients.
Sara Pedrotti
Sonia Munder
Sarah Clarke-Rae
Rachel Bowden
Louise Jones
Gordon McCaw
Ben Fiddes
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