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Wills, Estates & Planning

Trusts & structuring: protecting assets and planning for the future.

Trusts are among the most powerful legal tools available for asset protection, tax planning and estate management. Orange Legal Group advises clients on establishing, administering and restructuring trusts across Victoria.

500+
Trusts established
VIC
Victoria wide
15+
Years experience
Discuss Your Matter
Confidential consultation
Your information is strictly confidential
About This Practice Area

The Right Structure Protects What You Have Built

A trust is a legal arrangement in which one person (the trustee) holds assets for the benefit of another (the beneficiary). Trusts are extraordinarily flexible — they can be used for asset protection, tax planning, estate management, business structuring and charitable purposes.

Orange Legal Group advises clients on the full range of trust structures — from standard family discretionary trusts to complex unit trust arrangements, testamentary trusts and charitable entities. We also advise on trust deed variations, vesting and restructuring.

Our trust advice integrates with our broader estate planning and business law work — so you receive coordinated, comprehensive advice on how your trust fits into your overall structure.

What We Help With
Discretionary (family) trusts: establishment and deed preparation
Unit trusts: establishment, unitholding and structuring
Testamentary trusts: established by will on death
Hybrid trusts and fixed trusts
Trust deed amendments and variations
Trust vesting and winding up advice
SMSF trustee advice in conjunction with trust structures
Restructuring: advice on changing existing trust structures
Trust deed variations and restructuring can have significant stamp duty and capital gains tax consequences. Always seek legal and tax advice before making changes.
What We Handle

The Disputes We Handle

01

Discretionary Trusts

Family trusts allowing flexible distribution of income and capital among a class of beneficiaries — widely used for asset protection and tax planning.

Family trustIncome splittingAsset protection
02

Unit Trusts

Fixed trusts in which interests are divided into units — commonly used for joint ventures, property investment and business structuring.

Unit trustJoint ventureProperty
03

Testamentary Trusts

Trusts established by will that come into existence on death — providing tax and asset protection advantages for beneficiaries.

TestamentaryEstateTax effective
04

Trust Deed Variations

Amending existing trust deeds to change beneficiaries, trustee powers, distribution rules or other terms — taking into account duty and CGT implications.

VariationDeed amendmentResettlement
05

Trust Vesting

Managing the vesting of discretionary trusts at their 80-year vesting date — advising on pre-vesting restructuring and asset transfer.

Vesting80-year ruleRestructure
06

Structuring Advice

Coordinated trust, company and ownership structuring advice — integrating asset protection, tax efficiency and estate planning objectives.

StructuringTaxEstate planning
Our Process

How We Handle Your Matter

01
Objectives
We discuss your objectives — asset protection, tax planning, estate management or business structuring.
02
Structure Advice
We advise on the most appropriate trust structure and explain the tax, duty and legal implications.
03
Deed Preparation
We prepare the trust deed, trustee resolution and any associated documents.
04
Implementation
We coordinate the implementation — including any required registrations, asset transfers and bank account setup.
05
Ongoing Advice
We provide ongoing advice on trust administration, variations and restructuring as your circumstances evolve.
Why Choose Us

The Orange Legal Difference

Trust Expertise

Deep knowledge of trust law, trust taxation and the practical implications of different trust structures.

Coordinated Advice

Our trust advice integrates with your estate planning and business structure — so everything works together.

Tax Awareness

We work alongside your accountant to ensure trust structures achieve their tax objectives without unintended consequences.

Variation & Restructuring

We advise on trust deed variations and restructuring — including the duty and CGT consequences of proposed changes.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

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Thinking about a trust structure?

Contact Orange Legal Group for clear, practical advice on trust establishment, administration and restructuring. We will explain your options and the implications.

Book a Consultation
Or call us: 03 8330 5983