--- title: IS A FAMILY TRUST RIGHT FOR ME? description: "Family trusts are a popular way to protect and manage your assets, such as the family home, for you and your family, now and in the future. They can have a valuable role to play, but they’re not suitable for everyone. Here are the pros and cons of family trusts to help you decide if it’s worth investigating further.\n\nFive good reasons to form a family trust\nProtect your assets against claims and creditors in the event of business failure or a lawsuit.\nSet aside money for special reasons, such as a child or grandchild’s education.\nEnsure your children, not their partners, keep their inheritances.\nProtect your children from squandering assets or falling prey to financial scams before they’ve gained sufficient life experience to make sound decisions.\nThey have a life of up to 80 years (or 125 years under the new bill) unless it’s wound up and distributed earlier.\nThree disadvantages of setting up a family trust\nTransferring your personal assets to a trust means you lose complete ownership and it will be the trustees’ responsibility to control them.\nThe time and cost involved in setting up a trust and meeting its annual accounting and administrative requirements.\nDisgruntled beneficiaries have the power to sue trustees where trustees have acted in breach of trust. While it’s not common, it is happening more often.\nWhat’s next?\nGet professional advice from the start. We can answer any questions you have about trusts, being a trustee, administering a trust deed, and the proposed new Act. Contact us today to book an appointment to meet with us." image: https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/mother-daughter-examine-brochure.webp --- [![Ecom](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/Logo_1.png)](https://balanceca.nz/) - [Home](https://balanceca.nz/) [![Ecom](https://balanceca.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/startup.png?width=60&name=startup.png) Start-ups](https://balanceca.nz/start-ups) [![Established](https://balanceca.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/establishedbusinesses.png?width=60&name=establishedbusinesses.png) Established Businesses](https://balanceca.nz/established-businesses) [![Agricultural](https://balanceca.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/agriculturalbusinesses.png?width=60&name=agriculturalbusinesses.png) Agricultural Businesses](https://balanceca.nz/agricultural-businesses) - [About](https://balanceca.nz/about-us) - [Services](https://balanceca.nz/services) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services_1.png) Annual Accounting & Tax Services](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_f4) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services_2.png) Business Support Services](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_f4) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services_3.png) Business Development](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_f4) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services_4.png) Business Planning](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_m4) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services_5.png) Cashflow Management](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_m4) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services_6.png) Accountability Coaching](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_m4) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services_7.png) Succession Planning](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_m4) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services_8.png) Organisational Review](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_b3) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services%20icon-9.png) Governance](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_b3) [![](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/services-10-01.png) Specialist Māori Sector Services](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_f4) [![](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/11_Connections.png) Connections](https://balanceca.nz/services#nav_b3) # BALANCE Take control of your finances with BalanceCA, your trusted partner for all your accounting and financial needs. We are dedicated to helping individuals and businesses achieve financial wellness, allowing you to focus on what truly matters. [Learn More](https://balanceca.nz/blogs/services) - [Blogs](https://balanceca.nz/blogs) - Calculators [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/Calculator_1.png) Income Tax Calculator](https://balanceca.nz/income-tax-cal) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/Calculator_3.png) BrightLine Property Tax Calculator](https://balanceca.nz/brightline-cal) [![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/Calculator_2.png) Goods & Services (GST) Tax Calculator](https://balanceca.nz/gst-cal) ## BALANCE Take control of your finances with BalanceCA, your trusted partner for all your accounting and financial needs. We are dedicated to helping individuals and businesses achieve financial wellness, allowing you to focus on what truly matters. [Learn More](https://balanceca.nz/income-tax-cal) - [Payment](https://balanceca.nz/Payments) - [Contact us](https://balanceca.nz/contact-us) [![](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/assets/imgs/page/image_web/Coffee.png) Grab a coffee](https://balanceca.nz/Booking) [![IORI](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/assets/imgs/page/image_web/Logo1.png)](https://balanceca.nz/) - Home - [About](https://balanceca.nz/about-us) - Services - [Blogs](https://balanceca.nz/blogs) - Calculators - [Payment](https://balanceca.nz/Payments) - [Contact us](https://balanceca.nz/contact-us) - [My Profile](https://balanceca.nz/blogs/login.html) - Work Preferences - My Boosted Shots - My Collections - Account Settings - Go Pro - [Sign Out](https://balanceca.nz/blogs/register.html) ## IS A FAMILY TRUST RIGHT FOR ME? Tags: [Business](https://balanceca.nz/blogs/tag/business) --- ![Balance CA](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/kamato-1.png) [Balance CA](https://balanceca.nz/blogs/author/balance-ca) Updated: June 05, 2023 Jan 20, 2024 2:40:16 PM --- Family trusts are a popular way to protect and manage your assets, such as the family home, for you and your family, now and in the future. They can have a valuable role to play, but they’re not suitable for everyone. Here are the pros and cons of family trusts to help you decide if it’s worth investigating further. #### ***Five good reasons to form a family trust*** 1. Protect your assets against claims and creditors in the event of business failure or a lawsuit. 2. Set aside money for special reasons, such as a child or grandchild’s education. 3. Ensure your children, not their partners, keep their inheritances. 4. Protect your children from squandering assets or falling prey to financial scams before they’ve gained sufficient life experience to make sound decisions. 5. They have a life of up to 80 years (or 125 years under the new bill) unless it’s wound up and distributed earlier. #### ***Three disadvantages of setting up a family trust*** 1. Transferring your personal assets to a trust means you lose complete ownership and it will be the trustees’ responsibility to control them. 2. The time and cost involved in setting up a trust and meeting its annual accounting and administrative requirements. 3. Disgruntled beneficiaries have the power to sue trustees where trustees have acted in breach of trust. While it’s not common, it is happening more often. #### What’s next? Get professional advice from the start. We can answer any questions you have about trusts, being a trustee, administering a trust deed, and the proposed new Act. Contact us today to book an appointment to meet with us. ![image](https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/raw_assets/public/codfina/images/image_web/Logo_1.png) ##### Balance Whanganui - [0800 480 062](tel:+640800480062) [06 348 0062](tel:+64063480062) - [whanganui@balanceca.nz](mailto:whanganui@balanceca.nz) - 10 Dublin Street, Whanganui, 4500 PO Box 670, Whanganui, 4540 ##### Balance New Plymouth - [06 769 5389](tel:+64067695389) - [newplymouth@balanceca.nz](mailto:newplymouth@balanceca.nz) - 141 Powderham Street PO Box 593, New Plymouth Central, New Plymouth 4310 ##### Balance Stratford - [06 765 6156](tel:+64067656156) - [stratford@balanceca.nz](mailto:stratford@balanceca.nz) - 199 Broadway, Stratford, 4352 PO Box 670, Stratford, 4352 Balance Official 2026. All rights reserved. [mailto:hello@balanceca.nz](mailto:hello@balanceca.nz) [tel:+640800480062](tel:+640800480062) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Balance CA", "url" : "https://balanceca.nz/blogs/author/balance-ca" }, "dateModified" : "2024-01-20T19:40:16.136Z", "datePublished" : "2024-01-20T19:40:16.000Z", "headline" : "IS A FAMILY TRUST RIGHT FOR ME?", "image" : [ "https://balanceca.nz/hubfs/mother-daughter-examine-brochure.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://balanceca.nz/blogs/is-a-family-trust-right-for-me", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject" } } } ```