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Will Trusts
Will trusts allow you to retain control over how your estate is managed and distributed after your death. They can provide reassurance where circumstances are complex, help protect vulnerable beneficiaries, and ensure your wishes are carried out carefully and responsibly, rather than all assets passing outright at once.
Are you unsure whether a trust is right for your situation?
Many people consider Will trusts because they want clarity and protection, not complexity. You may already have a Will in place, but feel uncertain about whether it truly reflects your family circumstances, future needs, or longer-term intentions.
Trusts can offer peace of mind where beneficiaries may not be ready to manage assets themselves, where family arrangements are blended, or where future risks feel hard to predict. Our role is to explain your options clearly and help you decide what is appropriate, without pressure.
Protecting vulnerable beneficiaries
Ensuring assets are managed responsibly where a beneficiary is young, vulnerable, or may struggle to manage funds independently.
Blended family arrangements
Balancing the needs of a surviving partner while safeguarding inheritance for children from previous relationships.
Loss of control after death
Avoiding situations where assets pass outright and are used or distributed in ways you would not have intended.
Future uncertainty
Planning for unknowns such as changes in relationships, health, or financial circumstances.
Getting it wrong
Worrying that a poorly drafted trust could create problems rather than protection.
Speak to our team
Muhammed Ali
Probate Manager & Associate
Manzurul Islam
Member
Kristina Wolfenden TEP
Senior Associate Solicitor
Kate Wells
Consultant
Hazara Patel TEP
Senior Associate Solicitor
Emma Boys-Smith
Solicitor
Anne Wijayarathne
Associate Solicitor
Awais Mahmood
Wills & Probate Solicitor
Understanding Will Trusts and how they work
What is a Will trust?
A Will trust is created through your Will and comes into effect after your death. Instead of assets passing directly to beneficiaries, they are placed into a trust and managed by trustees you have chosen. This allows assets to be held, invested, and distributed according to clear instructions, rather than all at once.
Trusts are often used where additional structure or oversight is needed, giving beneficiaries support while protecting the long-term value of the estate.
When are Will trusts commonly used?
Will trusts are particularly helpful in situations such as:
- Providing for children while allowing a surviving partner to remain financially secure
- Protecting inheritance for beneficiaries who may be vulnerable or lack financial experience
- Ensuring assets are preserved rather than spent too quickly or exposed to external risk
They can form a strategic part of estate planning, especially where fairness, protection, and long-term planning are priorities.
Trusts created during your lifetime
While many trusts are created through a Will, trusts can also be set up during your lifetime for specific purposes. These arrangements are often considered as part of wider planning and may be appropriate where you want support or protection to begin immediately.
Common lifetime trust scenarios include:
- Later life planning
Planning ahead for potential care needs or future moves into supported living, while ensuring assets are managed carefully. - Compensation award management
Protecting personal injury or similar awards so funds are preserved and used in the beneficiary’s best interests. - Inheritance Tax planning
Using trusts to reduce or mitigate inheritance tax exposure, helping more of your estate pass to loved ones or chosen beneficiaries. - School fee planning by grandparents
Allowing grandparents to assist with education costs while potentially reducing their inheritance tax liability. - Charitable trusts
Establishing a trust to support charitable causes in a structured way, often with associated tax efficiencies.
We will explain whether lifetime trusts are relevant in your circumstances and how they interact with your Will and wider estate planning.
Manzurul Islam
Member
Schedule a call to discuss setting up or managing a Will trust and your obligations.
Make an enquiry
Why choose Mullis & Peake
Our Wills and Probate team focuses on practical, thoughtful advice that puts your wishes and your family’s future first. We take the time to understand what matters to you and explain your options in clear, straightforward terms.
Careful, tailored advice
Trusts are only recommended where they genuinely add value to your planning.
Clear drafting and explanation guidance
We ensure trust provisions are precise, workable, and easy for trustees to follow.
Experience with complex family arrangements
Including blended families, vulnerable beneficiaries, and long-term planning needs.
Local, trusted solicitors
Based in Essex, offering continuity and ongoing support as circumstances change.
Frequently asked questions
Will trusts can be an effective way to protect assets and provide for beneficiaries after your death. Our experienced private client solicitors offer clear, practical guidance on setting up and managing Will trusts, helping ensure they operate as intended and support your wider estate planning.
Not everyone needs a trust, but they can be very helpful where assets need protection or careful management. We will talk through your family circumstances, assets, and concerns before advising whether a trust is appropriate.
Trustees can be individuals you trust, such as family members or friends, or professionals. Many clients choose a combination. Trustees must act responsibly and in accordance with the trust terms.
In some circumstances, trusts can help reduce or manage inheritance tax exposure. This depends on the type of trust and how it is structured. We will explain the tax implications clearly before any decisions are made.
No. Trusts are often used for practical reasons rather than wealth alone, such as protecting young beneficiaries, managing compensation awards, or planning for later life needs.
Trustees must manage trust assets responsibly, act in the beneficiaries’ best interests, and follow the terms of the trust. We provide guidance to trustees so they understand their role and responsibilities.
In many cases, yes. We will explain which trust arrangements are flexible and which are fixed, so you understand the long-term implications.
Get in touch with our Will Trusts team
If you are considering a trust as part of your Will or wider estate planning, we are here to help you explore your options calmly and carefully.
Specialist Will trust advice
– Dedicated solicitors with deep experience structuring Will trusts to support effective estate planning and long-term asset protection.
Fast, confidential advice
– Clear guidance when you need it most.
No-obligation consultation
– Understand your options before you decide.
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Latest insights and news
Insights
Guidance provided on validity of Pandemic Wills
The case of Coady v Coady (PT-2023-BHM-000025, concerned a legal dispute over the validity of a Will made by Kathleen Bernadette Coady in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
William Cook
Associate Solicitor
Aaron Burkett
Dispute Resolution Solicitor
Esra Dogan
Associate Solicitor