Establishing a trust can be a smart move – but it needs to be done with care and foresight. We’ll guide you through every step with clarity and confidence.
Choosing the right structure
The first step is understanding your goals – whether that’s protecting family wealth, supporting children or grandchildren, or planning for the future. We’ll advise you on the most suitable trust type and help shape the terms of the trust to suit your needs.
Working with legal experts
You’ll need a solicitor to draft the trust deed, which sets out the trust’s purpose, the powers of the trustees, and details of the beneficiaries. We can introduce you to trusted legal partners and work closely with them to check the tax position and ensure everything aligns with your intentions.
Many clients also choose to write a Letter of Wishes – a non-binding guide that helps trustees understand how the trust should be managed over time.
Understanding the key roles
Trustees
Trustees are responsible for managing the trust – making decisions, handling distributions, and ensuring compliance. You can appoint family members, friends, professionals, or a mix.
Trustees must act with care, honesty, and in the best interests of all beneficiaries. They can be reimbursed for expenses and compensated in some cases, but must always act with integrity and transparency.
Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries are the individuals or groups who may benefit from the trust. Some may have a fixed entitlement to income, while others may benefit at the trustees’ discretion.
Trusts can be created for named individuals or broader groups (e.g. “children or grandchildren of the settlor”), and can last up to 125 years – so flexibility and foresight matter. You can also include powers to add or exclude beneficiaries over time.
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
You may also be interested in...
5 reasons why you need regular management reporting
By having regular discussions around the numbers, top advisers (and we can introduce you to one if…
Tax Planning
We often take on new clients that are worried that they’re paying too much tax or aren’t taking advantage of the opportunities open to them.
Research and Development guide
Learn R&D by Wilson Partners. Read our free guide on Research and Development (R&D) and it’s benefits to innovators regarding tax relief.
Together thinking
June 2026 – Tax News
This month’s update covers increases to tax-free mileage rates, a temporary VAT reduction for certain family-focused activities, new dividend reporting requirements, developments in the R&D tax relief regime and a useful reminder on employment status following a recent football referee case.
Property Newsletter – June 2026
This month we look at the ongoing impact of the Renters’ Rights Act, a welcome update on SDLT concerns for periodic tenancies, and whether holiday lets remain an attractive option for landlords considering alternatives to traditional buy-to-let.
Property Newsletter – May 2026
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax is now live. Many self-employed individuals and landlords with turnover above £50,000 in 2024/25 were brought into the regime from 6 April 2026.
Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED): A Guide for Property Owners
Introduced to curb the use of corporate structures holding high-value residential properties, the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) applies to ‘non-natural persons,’ which includes companies, partnerships with a company member...
What is transfer pricing?
Transfer pricing can apply to all transactions between connected parties. For accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2026, a UK-to-UK exemption will largely remove the requirement to apply transfer pricing rules to domestic transactions.…
The £1m Inheritance Tax bill Is no longer just a London problem
Particularly in areas such as Berkshire, Surrey, and Cambridge, where property inflation alone can push an Estate well beyond £1 million. For business owners, there is an added layer of risk. Reliefs such as Business Relief can be extremely…
Revenue recognition: a five-step framework
From 1 January 2026, a new standard for revenue recognition will come into force and it’s something every business should be paying close attention to. This isn't just a technical accounting update.
Autumn Budget report November 2025
It feels like the speculation over 26th November’s Autumn budget started as soon as the Spring statement had finished and after many rumours around the different policy changes...
