6. DISCRETIONARY TRUST Settlor Trustee (Usually a company) Discretionary Trust Beneficiary 1 Beneficiary 3 Beneficiary 2 Beneficiary 4 The person who settles the trust, usually for a nominal sum The trustee has legal ownership of trust assets for the beneficiaries As Trustee of Appointor The person who controls the appointment & removal of the trustee, and thereby indirectly controls decisions concerning the trust Beneficiaries have an “expectant interest” only in the income and assets of the trust.
7. TRUSTS Conceptually, a Trust is an obligation on one person to hold property for the benefit of another. The property is dually owned. The trustee has legal ownership and the beneficiary has equitable ownership. Predominant types of trusts used in business structures are: Discretionary Trusts The entitlement of beneficiaries to both income and capital is generally at the discretion of the trustee. Unit trusts In a unit trust, each unit holder has a fixed entitlement in the trust estate and any income flowing through the trust is distributed to each unit holder in proportion to their entitlement. The Discretionary Trust Deed A discretionary trust deed creates the trust and it should set out the rights and obligations of the trustee, the appointer and the beneficiaries. Please note that not every trust deed is standard and it is recommended that you seek legal advice before signing a trust instrument.
