Trust disputes

Trust disputes arise in a number of contexts, not all of which are actively contentious, including:

• Breach of trust and removal of trustees
• Disputes about trustee powers and duties
• Claims against the validity of a trust, including mistake
• Disclosure of trust documents and accounts
• Applications to vary a trust or for directions of the court
• Disputes between trustees or with beneficiaries
• Third party claims or attacks upon the trust (for example upon the divorce of a beneficiary)
• Negligent legal or tax advice when the trust was set up.

Decisions on whether trustees should get involved in disputes and how they should pursue them carry potentially serious personal cost consequences for trustees. Our team has experience in dealing with disputes in all of the above circumstances and many more.

We also work closely with our specialist Wills, Estate & Tax Planning team, and with our Trust Management experts, and advise on preventative measures that can be taken by clients to try to avoid trust disputes.

Managing trusts and navigating an increasingly complex tax system can be time consuming and daunting.

Generations of families and businesses have relied on our expert team of specialists to relieve them of the burden of trust management and tax compliance.

Our Trust & Tax Management practice can help you to protect your assets and pass on your wealth to the next generation tax efficiently, and in the way that best suits your circumstances.

The tax compliance and trust management team looks after the accounting, taxation and administration aspects of running different kinds of trusts, charities and other structures, including family investment companies.

We provide a personal tax advisory and compliance service across Kent, the South East and nationally, assisting trustees, beneficiaries and other individuals with their income, property and capital gains tax needs.

Our team also works to manage inheritance tax reporting for periodic charges, exits and other events, and to support executors in the preparation of estate accounts and tax returns for estates.

Key clients include:

• People creating trusts (settlors), charities and family investment companies
• Trustees and executors
• Family offices
• Beneficiaries and other individuals with private wealth
• Business owners
• Property owners and landlords (including non-resident landlords)
• Non-UK resident and non-UK domiciled individuals with reporting requirements in the UK.

As part of a full service law firm, we can call on expertise from our Wills, Estate & Tax Planning, Probate, Will, Trust & Estate Disputes and Family teams as needed.