This client was a significant family trust, which had six cousins as beneficiaries and professional trustees. The trust was discretionary, but the trustees had been given no guidance as to the purpose of this wealth and the basis upon which it should be distributed. The beneficiaries all had different views and were increasingly putting pressure on the trustees.
For the first time, we encouraged the cousins to open up and discuss the uncomfortable subject of “wealth”, its purpose and their vision for the future. We helped them to agree a distribution policy giving the trustees guidance as to the family’s wishes and managing the expectations of individual family members. We helped develop their communication and information requirements and to organise their family office to improve the support available to the family.
Each year we facilitate a meeting with the beneficiaries to continue to evolve the relationship between this family and their wealth, helping them make key decisions and keep the lines of communication open between trustees and beneficiaries.