A trust company you (and your clients) can trust
For centuries, trusts have been used as part of succession and estate planning and to help individuals and families protect their assets across the generations.
In times of global uncertainty, trusts (and similar vehicles) have never been more important – with wealthy clients seeking to establish structures in jurisdictions that provide security, stability, tax neutrality and privacy.
Based in Jersey, Genus Trust Company supports intermediaries and advisers with the establishment of trusts and ongoing trustee services for their clients. Not only are we experts in providing standard trust structures, we also work with a network of professionals to offer specialist trusts and other structures, which can be used to hold a more complex range of assets.
We work with a wide range of intermediaries, including SJP Partners, whose clients hold different levels of wealth – from £500,000 to in excess of £500 million – a large number of whom are based in the UK, with a growing number in the UAE. As part of the global Hawksford Group, however, we’re able to support your clients wherever in the world they might be.
Supporting your clients’ trust requirements… and more
At Genus, our dedicated team offers an extensive range of solutions, tailored to meet your clients’ individual needs. These include:
- Discretionary trusts
- Reserved powers trusts
- Managed trust companies
- Foundations
- Family limited partnerships
- Cell companies
In addition to acting as trustee, Genus can provide administration in relation to companies, partnerships and foundations if a layered structure is required. We also have considerable experience in taking over the administration of existing trusts if there are issues with the current trustee.
Not only does our team have extensive expertise in the establishment and administration of trusts, we often work in conjunction with Hawksford colleagues and other professional advisers. This is particularly relevant in the area of tax advice as this isn’t a service we provide and needs to be sought separately.
Once we know what assets the structure will hold and the level of activity expected, we can provide a competitive fixed-fee quote (see the FAQs below for more information on our fee structure).
Why Jersey?
Jersey is a world-leading jurisdiction for the establishment and management of trusts. The island offers a number of attractive and flexible structuring options and is an ideal location for international asset-holding trusts, their trustees, beneficiaries and settlors.
Common advantages of putting assets into a Jersey trust include:
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Asset protection
- Wealth and succession planning
- Judicial, legal and regulatory certainty
- Flexibility
- Robust governance
- Straightforward tax treatment
- Foreign law protection
Part of the Hawksford Group
Genus is part of the Hawksford Group, an award-winning provider of global corporate, private client and fund services.
Hawksford offers a comprehensive range of services and solutions to and for trusts, companies, foundations, partnerships, family offices and investment funds. Its global footprint enables Genus to provide services to clients around the world.
50+
Jurisdictions
1,000
Specialists
25+
Global offices
30+
Years experience
What our clients have to say
“I was fortunate to engage with the Private Client team at Genus Trust who supported a family in the lead up to the forthcoming changes to the UK tax rules, affecting non-domiciled individuals.
This followed an accumulation of assets which the client had held across multiple countries following a re-location, from Asia to the UK. Genus Trust assisted with appropriate, specialist advise, ensuring completion ahead the rule changes.
The client and their family were extremely pleased with the outcome and feel confident knowing that their assets are protected and invested in a way that supports their future family generations.”
Adam Tebbutt
Director and Financial Planner at Foundry Wealth (St. James’ Place)
We don’t apply a one-size-fits-all approach to our fees. Instead, we tailor them to your specific needs and requirements. Our fees aren’t linked to the value of the trust but are determined by the nature and scope of the work involved – for example, the assets held within the trust, whether distributions are required, and any associated tax reporting obligations.
We provide a fixed-fee proposal, set for a period of two years, and adjusted in line with the Jersey Retail Price Index. Once we understand the level of administration involved, we can provide a fee quote accordingly.
In principle, we can establish a trust within a few weeks. However, this is dependent on receiving all required client due diligence documentation and satisfying our internal onboarding procedures. We typically use the standard SJP trust deed; however, if a more bespoke deed is required, it will have to be drafted by a legal professional.
The first step is to determine your specific objectives, including your clients’ reasons for establishing the trust and the nature of the assets to be settled. Based on this, we can prepare a fee quotation for our role as trustee. In parallel, you (or your client) should obtain tax advice to ensure the proposed structure is tax efficient. In certain cases, the SJP Tax and Technical team may be able to provide this guidance.
Once your clients’ objectives and tax planning requirements are fully understood, we will collect the necessary due diligence documentation and begin completing our internal onboarding processes. If the trust already exists and is being transferred from another service provider, we will also require due diligence on the existing entity.
Following compliance approval, we can proceed with the establishment or transfer of the trust.
In principle, the trust can hold any lawful asset, subject to the settlor’s wishes. In practice, most Genus trusts typically hold International Investment Bonds or Fund Administration Bonds, to utilise the 5% withdrawals.