Trusts remain one of the most flexible tools in UK private client planning, but they are also among the most technically demanding.
We advise settlors, trustees and beneficiaries on the creation, taxation, operation and restructuring of trusts, including inheritance tax, capital gains tax and income tax issues.
Trusts are often used to manage and protect wealth across generations, providing flexibility in how assets are controlled and distributed.
They can form part of wider planning in a range of situations, including succession, asset protection and long-term family arrangements.
However, their effectiveness depends on careful structuring and a clear understanding of both legal and tax implications. The interaction between different tax regimes means that trust planning is rarely straightforward.
We advise a wide range of clients on trust-related matters, including:
In each case, our role is to provide clear, technically grounded advice that supports informed decision-making.
The creation of a trust requires careful consideration of both its purpose and its long-term implications.
Our work includes:
The choice of structure can have a significant impact on how the trust is taxed and how it operates over time.
Trustee advisory work is a core part of our private client practice.
We support trustees in understanding and fulfilling their responsibilities, including:
Trustees are often required to balance a range of considerations, and clear guidance can be essential in navigating these responsibilities.
Trusts are subject to a complex tax regime, with ongoing obligations that require careful management.
We advise on:
The interaction between these elements means that trust taxation is rarely static and often requires regular review.
Over time, trusts may need to be reviewed, restructured or brought to an end.
Our work includes:
Ensuring that these steps are taken in a structured and compliant way is essential to managing both tax exposure and fiduciary risk.
Trusts can be highly effective tools for managing and passing on wealth, but they require ongoing oversight and a detailed understanding of both legal and tax obligations. From initial structuring through to long-term administration and eventual wind-down, each stage presents its own challenges and opportunities.
Whether you are establishing a new trust, acting as a trustee, or reviewing an existing arrangement, taking advice can help ensure that the structure remains effective, compliant and aligned with your objectives.
If you would like guidance on any aspect of trusts or trustee responsibilities, we would be happy to assist.
Whenever the law changes, the family changes, the assets change or the trust has not been looked at for years. The 2026 APR/BPR reforms are a good example of why old trust planning needs fresh eyes. A trust that made sense on day one may still work. It may also have become unnecessarily complex, expensive or misaligned with the family.
They need to know whether they are distributing income, cash, land, shares or another asset, because the tax results can differ. CGT can arise on appointments of assets, IHT exit charges may apply and beneficiaries may have their own tax consequences. Trustees should not distribute first and ask tax questions later. That is how small administrative decisions become expensive.
Trustees may have income tax, CGT, IHT, reporting and registration obligations. There can be ten-year charges, exit charges, tax on income, tax on disposals and beneficiary reporting consequences. That is a lot of moving parts for something many families think of as a single document. A trust needs running, not just creating.
