Harrison Clark’s Private Client Team has a great deal of experience in the set up and administration of Trusts for individuals and charities.

Whatever your wish regarding the transfer of your assets, going through your options with a lawyer ensures the process is managed competently and securely.

Trusts can be used for a variety of purposes including inheritance tax planning, protecting assets, and creating a charity.

Setting up a trust for your family or for a charitable cause requires the assistance of an expert. Family trusts, for example, are often used to make provision for children or grandchildren. Money or other assets are transferred to trustees to be administered until the children are grown up, and the fund is then transferred to them at a specified age.

While the trust is running, it is able to provide money to help with education.

There are, of course, many other types of family trusts and we have the expertise to advise you on the most appropriate arrangements for your needs.

We can advise on what type of trust structure is most suitable, when and if it is appropriate to establish a trust and how long it is beneficial to maintain it.

A trust can

- Reduce tax liabilities

- Protect a family business

- Defer children’s inheritance until a specified age

- Make charitable donations

- Control the distribution of assets over time

We can:

- Establish all types of trusts

- Administer the trust

- Distribute funds to beneficiaries

- Prepare income, capital gains and inheritance tax returns

- Advise existing trustees on their powers and responsibilities including monitoring investment advice and performance under the Trustee Act 2000

- Ensure compliance with all Charity Commission requirements

- Advise on tax efficient gifts to charity

We will advise you on the type of trust which best suits your needs and those of your family. This can be particularly important if there are very young or otherwise vulnerable family members to consider.

Harrison Clark will demystify the jargon which so often causes problems and misunderstandings.

Different types of trust are often used to minimise tax, or to take advantage of tax loopholes. We do not believe in extremely artificial schemes which often fall foul of the Inland Revenue at a later date, but we will take advantage of tried and tested methods of tax mitigation through the use of trusts. We are always happy to work with your accountant or financial advisor. If you do not have one of your own, we can recommend somebody to you.

If a trust is not suitable for you, or will not achieve your expectations, we will not be afraid to tell you so, and to offer you other alternative solutions.

We pride ourselves on the proactive and creative approach we follow for the benefit of our clients and for the benefit of those for whom they have ongoing responsibilities.

For initial advice or assistance concerning the services we provide, or for a general chat about planning these aspects of your personal affairs please contact Dawn Oliver or Chris Milne on the telephone numbers or email addresses shown on the right.