Materials comprised of a Paper and PowerPoint Handout.
Event Date:
23 June 2026
Presenters:
Colette Mackenzie Director, Greg Kelly Trust Law
Kimberly Lawrence Director, Greg Kelly Trust Law
Synopsis:
Trusts are a useful vehicle for managing assets in the blended family context, and preventing estate claims on death. However, careful attention must be given to the terms of a trust being established in this context, as bespoke drafting will almost always be necessary. This paper will consider key aspects of drafting for you and your clients to consider when settling a trust in the blended family context. In particular, it will address structuring beneficiaries (particularly where there are children from multiple relationships), memoranda of wishes (including the status of later wishes from only one settlor), powers to appoint and remove trustees and discretionary beneficiaries (and what happens to these powers on the death or incapacity of one settlor), and independent trustee requirements.
These Materials will help you:
Know what questions to ask when preparing a trust deed for a blended family.
Gain confidence in drafting trust deeds for blended families.
Enhance your knowledge and understanding when drafting trust deeds.
Intended Audience:
Private client lawyers, trust and estate lawyers, and litigators who want to better understand the ‘front end’ of trust deed drafting.
