Blevins Franks Trusts

When you establish a trust, you transfer the legal ownership of the assets (cash, investments or property) to another person or organisation, known as the ‘trustee’. The trustee looks after those assets until they’re passed on to the ‘beneficiaries’ – usually yourself, members of your family, friends and nominated charities.

The exact advantages will depend on the country where you and your beneficiaries are resident, but there are some general benefits.

Tax and cost efficiency

• Centralise assets under one potentially tax-efficient roof, in particular for long-term UK inheritance tax planning
• Remove the need for expensive, lengthy probate to pass assets to your heir/s
• Ensure efficient administration of assets and payment of expenses on behalf of beneficiaries

Security 

• Professional investment management in a highly regulated environment
• Protection for your assets from bankruptcy, divorce claims and spendthrift beneficiaries
• Protection for vulnerable individuals, in particular those who may have no living relatives or have specific care or medical needs
• (Usually) freedom from the “forced heirship” rules in Spain, Portugal, Malta and Cyprus, so that you can choose who inherits the assets and when

Flexibility 

• Assets are distributed under the guidance of your wishes, which you can change efficiently and at minimal cost
• You can make any necessary changes to cater for increasingly complex family situations

Blevins Franks Trustees Limited has the expertise to administer any type of trust. The most commonly used are the discretionary trust and the pilot trust.

A discretionary trust enables us to administer assets in the best interests of your beneficiaries and in the most efficient way, taking your guidance into consideration. In a pilot trust, you retain access to your assets during your lifetime but can still take advantage of a trust’s estate planning benefits after you die.

Whether a trust structure is suitable for you will ultimately depend on your personal circumstances, aims and objectives. We can outline all of your options – not just trusts – and help you find the best solution for your savings, pensions, investments and estate planning.