A trust that works the way you want.

We set up family (discretionary) trusts and unit trusts. We prepare the trust deed (the document that sets up the trust), the trustee (the person or company that runs it) and the tax registrations.

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What's included

Every part of the trust, done in the right order.

A trust is a deed, a trustee and the people named in it. It also has a set of registrations. We do each part and explain what it means for you.

We help you pick a discretionary trust or a unit trust, and explain why. In a discretionary trust, the trustee decides each year who gets the income. In a unit trust, each person's share is set by the units they hold.
We prepare the trust deed and go through it with you. It says what the trustee can and cannot do, and who can benefit. It also says how the trust can be changed or closed later.
A company is usually the better trustee. If the trust is sued, your own assets are less exposed. The trust also carries on if a person dies. If you need one, we register the trustee company as part of the same job.
The appointor is the person who can change the trustee. They can remove and replace it, which makes the appointor the most important role in the deed. We help you decide who holds it, and who the beneficiaries are (the people who can get money from the trust). We also plan for what happens if someone dies or leaves.
Some states charge stamp duty (a state tax) on a new trust deed. There is a deadline to pay it and get the deed stamped. We arrange this if your state needs it.
We register the trust for an ABN (its business number). We also get its TFN (tax file number). We add GST (a tax on most sales) if needed. That is when the trust will earn over the GST limit. You can also choose to register for GST early.
We record the first money or units put into the trust. That way the books start clean. For a discretionary trust, the trustee must make a distribution resolution each year. That is a written decision on who gets the income. We remind you before 30 June so the trustee can decide in time. We also lodge the first trust tax return. That means we send it to the ATO (the tax office).

Who it's for

Three reasons people set up a trust.

If none of these fit, start with a chat anyway. Not everyone who asks for a trust needs one. If you do not, we will say so.

Family business owners

You want to choose each year which family members get the income. You want to keep business assets apart from personal ones. A discretionary trust with a company as trustee is usually the starting point.

Unrelated partners

Two or more people, or family groups, go into a venture together. Each wants a fixed share, so a unit trust sets each share by units. Nobody relies on the trustee's choice.

Holding an asset

You want to hold an asset in a trust, not in one person's name. It could be an investment property, shares or the premises your business trades from. Set the trust up before you buy, not after.

How it works

Three steps, then the trust is yours.

You agree what we will do first. Only then do we sign a deed or register anything.

A conversation

We ask who is involved and what the trust will hold. We ask where the income will go and what you want to protect. If a trust is not the right structure, we tell you. Then we point you to the one that is.
A fixed scope in writing

We write down the trust type and whether a trustee company is included. We list the registrations we will make, the cost and the finish date. You agree to all of it before any work starts.
The same team, all year

The accountant who set up the trust keeps your file. For a discretionary trust, they remind you before the 30 June resolution is due and lodge the first return. You can reach them by phone, text or WhatsApp, and they answer the same day.

What you get

A complete file, ready to bank and trade.

What a bank, a lawyer or the ATO usually asks for, in one place.

The signed trust deed, stamped if your state needs it. It comes with a plain summary of the main parts.
If a trustee company is part of the job, its ASIC registration. ASIC is the body that registers companies. Also its constitution (the company's own rule book).
Trustee resolutions and minutes (the written decisions that start the trust). For a unit trust, the unit register and unit certificates. These are the records of who holds units.
Confirmation of the trust's ABN, TFN and, if needed, GST registration
A short written note on how the trust runs. It says who decides who gets the income. It says what must happen each year, and what to send us before 30 June.
Opening balances (the starting figures) entered in your accounting file. That way the first year starts clean.

What we need from you

Six things, and most owners have them already.

Send them any way that suits you. We confirm the list at the first chat, so there are no surprises.

The name you want for the trust, and what it will hold or do
Full names, dates of birth and addresses for the trustee, the directors and the appointor. Tax file numbers for the trustee (or for the directors of the trustee company).
The people or entities to be named as beneficiaries. For a unit trust, the unit holders and how many units each will hold.
ID for the trustee, the directors and the appointor. We need this to confirm who each person is, and ASIC needs it for the directors.
Whether the trust will trade, employ staff or register for GST from the start
Any existing structure the trust will sit beside. That could be a trading company or a family business. This lets us line up ownership and who gets paid.

Related services

Advice on whether you need a trust at all. Also the company that usually sits beside it.

Business Structuring

Not sure a trust is right? We compare sole trader, partnership, company and trust for your situation. You get a written recommendation.

Compare structures

Company Registration

We register the trustee company, or a trading company that sits beside the trust. It is registered with ASIC and the ATO and ready to trade.

Get in touch

Ready when you are.