AHJ Wills & Estates
Trusts and Estate Planning
Trusts explained…
Trusts explained...
Trusts can play an important role in protecting your assets and supporting your family. At AHJ Wills & Estates, we help clients set up trusts that are carefully designed to meet their needs, from providing for young children to supporting vulnerable beneficiaries or managing complex estates. Our team ensures every trust is structured lawfully and responsibly, giving you flexibility, protection, and long-term peace of mind.
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Andrew explains Trusts
Read about trusts with a blog by Andrew who heads the experienced team here at AHJ WIlls & Estates.
Trusts explained…
Trusts
Trusts are an important part of estate planning for many families. They allow you to set aside assets to be managed by trustees on behalf of beneficiaries, giving you greater control over how and when your estate is passed on. A trust can be created during your lifetime or written into your Will, depending on your needs.
At AHJ Wills & Estates, we advise on a range of trusts that can be tailored to your personal circumstances. Our role is to make the options clear, explain the benefits and limitations, and ensure your arrangements are both effective and compliant with the law of England and Wales.
Why set up a trust?
A trust can:
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Provide for children or grandchildren until they are old enough to manage their inheritance.
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Support a vulnerable or disabled beneficiary with funds managed responsibly on their behalf.
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Allow you to provide for a spouse or partner during their lifetime while ultimately protecting assets for your children.
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Offer flexibility for trustees to adapt to changing family circumstances.
Types of trusts we can help with
Our experienced team can assist with a variety of trusts, including:
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Protective Property Trusts – to protect your share of a property while allowing a spouse or partner to live in it for life.
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Discretionary Trusts – giving trustees flexibility to distribute assets depending on beneficiaries’ needs.
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Disabled or Vulnerable Beneficiary Trusts – to safeguard the financial future of a loved one with additional needs.
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Flexible Life Interest Trusts – to provide an income or benefit for one person during their lifetime, while protecting capital for others.
Why take professional advice?
Trusts can be highly effective, but they are also complex. They carry legal and tax implications that need to be carefully considered. In some cases, placing assets into trust can be challenged by local authorities if the primary purpose appears to be avoiding care fees, a situation known as deliberate deprivation of assets. This is why it is essential to seek professional advice before setting up a trust.
At AHJ Wills & Estates, we ensure every trust we help create is designed responsibly, with your family’s best interests at heart, and fully compliant with the law.
Talk to us about trusts
If you would like to explore how a trust could form part of your estate planning, our Sheffield-based team is here to help. We will explain your options clearly, answer your questions, and guide you through the process step by step.
Contact AHJ Wills & Estates today:
Telephone: 0114 553 5416
Email: info@ahjwillsandestates.com
What our clients say…
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Trust and their role in Estate Planning:
How can AHJ Wills & Estates help you?
AHJ Wills & Estates can help with many aspects of estate planning. We have specialists within the team who focus on creating trusts that protect your assets and provide for your loved ones. Simply put, we specialise in Wills and Powers of Attorney alongside a full range of trust planning services. This includes but is not restricted to:
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Protective Property Trusts
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Discretionary Trusts
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Disabled or Vulnerable Beneficiary Trusts
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Flexible Life Interest Trusts
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Trusts for Children and Grandchildren
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Trusts within Wills
Trusts play an important role in estate planning, helping you protect assets and manage how they are passed on to future generations. They provide flexibility, allow you to support vulnerable beneficiaries, and give you greater control over when and how inheritance is received. At AHJ Wills & Estates, we guide clients through the options and ensure every trust is structured responsibly and in line with the law. Used alongside Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney, trusts form a key part of a well-rounded estate plan that gives peace of mind for you and security for your family.
Information downloads
Considerations When Making Your Will
Disabled Discretionary Trust
Discretionary Trusts
Executors and Trustees
Flexible Life Interest Trust
Nil Rate Band Discretionary Trust
Protective Property Trusts
Understanding Your Estate
Why Make a Lasting Power of Attorney?
Why Make a Will?
More than 50 years combined experience
Assisting clients with their hard earned wealth
Meet the team
Andrew Askwith
I am the founder and Managing Director of AHJ Wills & Estates. I am also a Chartered Financial Planner and provide clients with tailored financial advice across a whole spectrum of planning opportunities. Most years I undertake a challenge and look to raise money for charity. In 2021 I decided that this challenge would be the London Marathon. I am not a runner by any stretch however I managed to get round in a reasonable time and raised over £8000.00 for Children with Cancer UK.
I specialise in will writing and tax planning. I work with a select portfolio of high net worth individuals with complex needs and requirements. As a result I have amassed a wealth of experience in complex estates and tax situations. This ensures that I am well positioned to help clients with all of their will and lasting power of attorney requirements.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my wife and 2 children. I have a keen passion for sports. I support Liverpool FC and don’t play football anymore, my legs will only handle golf these days.
Helen Askwith
I am the co-founder and Director of AHJ Wills & Estates. I have worked in finance for the majority of my career and amassed over 15 years of experience in wealth management and asset finance. Having worked for Coutts I have dealt with high net worth individuals with complex tax and estates requirements. This experience pays dividends with will writing and lasting power of attorneys.
I have a very busy lifestyle with working and looking after our 2 children. I really enjoy travelling and now the world is coming back to some degree of normality it would be great to start to get on some holidays again. I enjoy spending my spare time socialising with family and friends.
Victoria Haycock
Outside of work I have a young family and enjoy going on holiday and spending time in the peak district, I also have a huge passion for baking.
Josh Allalat
Having recently graduated from Sheffield Hallam University, I am excited to begin my career in the wealth management industry. My academic background has provided me with a strong foundation in finance and business principles, and I am eager to apply this knowledge as an estate practitioner, contributing to our clients’ financial success and well-being. I look forward to growing with the company and broadening my expertise in all aspects of wills and estate planning.
Originally from Croydon, London, I have always been passionate about sports and am a dedicated Fulham supporter. Away from work, I enjoy spending time with friends and occasionally going to the gym.
Get in touch with AHJ Wills & Estates
Trust FAQs
What is a Trust?
A trust is a legal arrangement where assets are placed under the control of trustees, who manage them for the benefit of named beneficiaries. Trusts can be created during your lifetime or written into your Will.
Why would I include a trust in my Will?
A trust can give you more control over how and when your estate is passed on. For example, you may want to provide for your spouse while ensuring assets eventually pass to your children, or leave money for grandchildren that they can only access once they are older.
What types of trusts are commonly used in England and Wales?
Some of the most common include:
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Protective Property Trusts – protect your share of a property while allowing a spouse or partner to live there for life.
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Discretionary Trusts – allow trustees to decide how and when to distribute funds depending on beneficiaries’ needs.
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Disabled or Vulnerable Beneficiary Trusts – protect the interests of beneficiaries who cannot manage money themselves.
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Flexible Life Interest Trusts – provide an income for one person during their lifetime while preserving capital for others.
Do trusts help avoid care home fees?
It is important to be cautious here. If a local authority believes that assets were placed into a trust primarily to avoid paying for care, this could be treated as deliberate deprivation of assets. In that case, the trust may be disregarded in care fee assessments. Trusts should always be set up for genuine estate planning reasons, and professional advice is essential.
Are there tax implications when setting up a trust?
Yes. Trusts can affect inheritance tax, income tax, and capital gains tax. The rules vary depending on the type of trust and how it is structured. This is why advice from a qualified estate planner is so important.
Who should I choose as trustees?
Trustees should be people you trust to act responsibly and in the best interests of your beneficiaries. Many people choose family members, close friends, or professionals. Trustees must be over 18 and capable of managing financial responsibilities.
Can I change or end a trust once it is created?
That depends on the type of trust. Some trusts are flexible and allow changes, while others are fixed and cannot be altered once established. This is another reason why careful planning and advice are essential before setting one up.
How can AHJ Wills & Estates help with trusts?
We provide clear, tailored advice on whether a trust is right for your situation. Our team will explain your options, draft the documents, and make sure the trust is compliant with the law in England and Wales. We make the process straightforward and ensure your family is fully supported.