Fiduciary Management

Do it Yourself vs Done for You

Fiduciary Compliance can be a minefield without expert guidance.

We provide the fiduciary map to guide  private trustees.

Our proprietary Private Trustee GPS System © provides essential tools for DIY trustees.

We can also provide access to DFY trustee services for those who prefer independent professional trusteeship.

Fiduciary integrity is about more than just honesty.

It is about creating structures which are able to deliver specific outcomes.

We function by the premise that trusteeship is much like ‘structural integrity’ in the field of engineering. A construction is believed to have structural integrity when it can withstand ‘impact’ from anywhere and anything, functioning adequately for its desired purposes and service life.

‘Integrity’ springs from the original Latin root ‘integrum’, which means “Intact”.

A trust has integrity when it remains intact, despite the impact of forces that may seek to sidetrack the trustees or their proper management of the assets held in trust.

With the right structure, a good trustee will never confuse “what is” with “what ought to be”, even when “what is” will work in his favor. That trustee will choose, not what the world demands, but what aligns with the provisions of the trust deed and the intentions of the settlor.

A Trust is created when a Settlor gifts an asset to a trusted person (the Trustee) with instructions (the Trust Deed) for the trustee to manage that asset for the benefit of Beneficiaries.

Trustees can also be beneficiaries, but if they are then they need to remember that they acting in more than one capacity, aka “wearing different hats”.

While it is preferable to have an independent trustee, some people prefer to retain control by acting as trustees of their own trusts.

This is perfectly legal, but it does leave such trustees open to risks. It is important for lay people who act as their own trustees to ensure that they have the right guidance and are acting correctly.

Fiduciary Management provides tools for lay-trustees to stay on the right track. This is a cost effective option for most people.

However, the tools provided do not constitute legal or financial advice and it is recommended that in the event of uncertainty you contact us before taking a decision. We will review your concerns free of charge and provide you with a referral to an appropriate professional.