News and views

The new Trusts Act comes into effect on 30 January 2021 and if you are a trustee or a beneficiary of a trust you may need to review your trust deed.

On 30 January 2021, the new Trusts Act 2019 will come into effect, replacing the Trustee Act 1956. It’s the first major update to Trust laws in more than 70 years

What do Peter Jackson’s film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the new Trusts Act 2019 have in common? They’re both around 17 years old!

Contributions by family members to the purchase of a property and how this is recorded can affect property ownership. We discuss how you can help your children and, at the same time, lessen the risks to you as parents.

Most people are now aware of the importance of having an enduring power of attorney (EPA). If you are unable to make decisions for yourself at any stage (either temporarily or longer term) it is important there is someone in place to act on your behalf. What happens to you, and your family situation, if you have no EPA?

When a marriage, civil union or de facto relationship breaks down, the couple will usually divide their property according to the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 (the PRA). However, these two people often hold property in a trust rather than personally.

It has been estimated that there are between 300,000-500,000 trusts in this country. Trusts have been established for many different reasons, including estate planning, creditor protection, to ensure access to rest home subsidies, tax benefits or for protection from relationship property claims.

If you have a family trust set up a number of years ago, it’s good practice to review it to ensure it is still ‘fit for purpose’. Leading on from that is the question that is often asked of us, “Should I bring my trust to an end?”