Creation and Administration of Trusts

Trusts have long been a feature of succession planning, providing a vehicle to carefully manage the succession of your assets. Our expert solicitors have considerable experience when it comes to setting up and administering trusts and can act as professional trustees if required.

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How can a trust help me?

A well administered, correctly structured trust can provide a number of advantages, for example, protecting family assets or vulnerable beneficiaries, deferring children’s inheritance until a specified age, allowing you or your chosen trustees to control the distribution of assets over time, structuring the succession of your assets in a tax efficient way and/or making charitable donations.

Trusts are governed by complex tax regime and navigating this isn’t always easy, so our advisers will work with you and your other professional advisors to ensure the inheritance tax, capital gains tax and income tax implications are explained in plain, simple terms.

Whatever your circumstances and motivations, our private client solicitors will consider the range of options carefully and ensure that the right structure is put in place to meet your needs.

Our experience

Our expert knowledge of the complex and ever-changing legal and tax landscape governing trusts, combined with our approach to bespoke and client focussed solutions, enables us to advise on all aspects of the creation of trusts, the ongoing administration and ultimately, once the trusts’ purposes have been served, the winding up of settlements.

Our experience also extends to the creation and management of offshore trusts and the UK tax implications for those creating the trusts, the trustees and beneficiaries.

We also have a large dedicated trust management team who can assist with all aspects of trust compliance, including administering a significant number of trusts in house, liaising with investment managers reporting to HM Revenue & Customs and preparing trust accounts. In short, we aim to ensure that trustees are fully compliant and satisfy their trustee duties.

In particular, we can help individuals and trustees to:

  • Consider the use of trusts in the context of their wider succession and tax planning strategy
  • Create new trusts and prepare detailed letters of guidance to the trustees
  • Undertake a full review of ongoing and existing trusts and make appropriate recommendations
  • Administer the trust by acting as a professional trustee via our Trust Corporation
  • Appoint and retire trustees, including advice on indemnities
  • Deal with any trust dispute including issues with fellow trustees or beneficiaries
  • Amend the terms of any existing trusts, including dealing with the Variation of Trust claims
  • Understand the role and duties of a trustees
  • Ensure the trust is managed in a tax efficient manner
  • Bring the trust to an end
  • Consider the best means of providing for the trust beneficiaries, including the distribution or investment of trust assets and income and the making of loans, and ensuring those decisions are correctly recorded.
A guide to trusts

Our Private Wealth sector

For clients who have built a significant assets base, they may face a complex legal and tax landscape. Our experts from across our legal services are on hand to provide specialist legal guidance and support to help individuals, their families, trustees and family offices.

Services from our Private Wealth team

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Recognition of our work

Hear what our clients say about us

Thank you so much for your professional and sympathetic help at every meeting.

Client testimonial Private client

HCR has an eye for detail and undertakes thorough analysis to ensure that nothing is missed or overlooked. The team has good communication skills and ensures that we are kept updated, whilst also managing our time expectations. They also negotiate well on behalf of their client.

Client testimonial Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2026

HCR Law demonstrates a high level of technical expertise, commercial awareness and attention to detail, particularly on high-value and complex estate planning cases. They are adept at navigating nuanced issues and providing clear, practical advice to both advisers and clients.

Client testimonial Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2026

HCR Law provides expertise, flexibility and local knowledge. They have an excellent track record and take the time to understand complex situations.

Client testimonial Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2026

HCR Law cares. They provide exceptional services while maintaining respect and dignity and they generally want to understand your requirements and give you the best advice. All of the team members have time for you and communicate effectively in the correct manner and timescales.

Client testimonial Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2026

This department is distinguished by its efficient and highly responsive team, who consistently deal with matters in a prompt and professional manner. Communication is clear and timely, which helps ensure that transactions and client matters progress smoothly and without unnecessary delay. A further strength is the breadth of expertise available within the firm. They have well-established departments across a range of disciplines, meaning they are able to deal with whatever matter is presented.

Client testimonial Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2026

The team at HCR Law are very approachable, responsive, highly technical, and empathetic when dealing with vulnerable clients. They are excellent in their field.

Client testimonial Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2026

Can I take the opportunity to thank you for the very professional, kind and personable way in which you have guided us through the whole Will-writing process.

Client testimonial Wills

I am particularly grateful for your insight and guiding-assistance concerning the matter. Notwithstanding our only having just been acquainted through that call, it is without difficulty that I ‘voice’ my commendation and indeed doff at the manifest professionalism and courtesy you displayed (albeit virtually) in discussing the subject matter. With such mannerism and characteristic, re/commending you to others should pose little or no difficulty.

Client testimonial Private client

I cannot thank you enough for what you’ve done this week. I called you for help and you were incredible.

Client testimonial Private client

We were pleased and relived to know matters concerning our wills were being dealt with. Hauke has been patient and knowledgeable at all times. Thank you

Client testimonial Private client

Katie managed to get a successful conclusion to my case. Katie always remained professional and provided me with the correct advice at that time. I would have no hesitation in recommending Katie Maxwell-Stewart for legal representative regarding estate disputes.

Client testimonial Probate dispute

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