Trusts are a commonly used structure in New Zealand for protecting, managing, and transferring wealth across generations. They are often established for purposes such as asset protection, estate planning, and providing for beneficiaries over the long-term.
Managing a trust involves important responsibilities. Trustees must understand their legal and fiduciary duties, meet ongoing compliance and reporting obligations, and make sound financial and investment decisions within New Zealand’s regulatory and tax framework.
We provide specialist advice to trustees, helping you navigate your obligations with confidence, maintain compliance, and make informed decisions about managing and investing trust assets. Our approach supports the effective stewardship of trust capital, ensuring it meets both current needs and long-term objectives.
Supporting trustees with clarity, confidence, and good governance
The trustees of a family trust approached us wanting reassurance that they were meeting their responsibilities—both to the trust and to its beneficiaries.
They were conscious of the evolving trustee environment in New Zealand and wanted to ensure decisions around investments were well governed, clearly documented, and aligned with the trust deed.
We worked closely with the trustees to understand the purpose of the trust and the needs of both current and future beneficiaries. Our role was to provide structure and independent advice, helping them:
- Define the trust’s investment objectives and long-term timeframe
- Establish a clear investment policy to guide future decisions
- Align the trust’s investments with its risk profile and liquidity needs
- Provide ongoing reporting to support trustee decision making
As a result, the trustees now feel confident that their decisions are well considered, compliant, and defensible — allowing them to focus on stewardship rather than uncertainty.
Find out about our process that determines your goals and tailors a plan specifically for you now and in the future.
Understand the beliefs behind the well-diversified portfolios that we employ to build your wealth.