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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Let us answer some of the most common questions regarding will planning.

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:

Provide for children or grandchildren until they are old enough to manage their inheritance.
Support a vulnerable or disabled beneficiary with funds managed responsibly on their behalf.
Allow you to provide for a spouse or partner during their lifetime while ultimately protecting assets for your children.
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:

Protective Property Trusts – to protect your share of a property while allowing a spouse or partner to live in it for life.
Discretionary Trusts – giving trustees flexibility to distribute assets depending on beneficiaries’ needs.
Disabled or Vulnerable Beneficiary Trusts – to safeguard the financial future of a loved one with additional needs.
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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   Elisabetta Barbazza 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent service from Julie Booth. She was extremely helpful, professional, and took the time to explain everything in simple terms. Julie helped sort out both my partner’s and my will, and made the whole experience straightforward and reassuring.
  
 
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   Darren Harwood 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. An excellent service - Julie Booth was very knowledgeable and made the whole process of sorting both my wife and myself Wills a simple process and has now given us peace of mind that we have everything in place for the future - I would highly recommend this service to others
  
 
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   Richard Roebuck 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thanks Julie, great support and patience with us!!
  
 
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   Glyn Stanton 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Julie Booth of AHJ Wills was so helpful and professional in the service they provided. Everything was explained in simple terms that made the process easy and stress free. Highly recommended.
  
 
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   Jane Gregory 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Andrew Askwith,  along with his colleagues Victoria and Josh,  have ensured that the making of our Wills and arranging POAs has been stress free.  They have given us excellent guidance throughout the process and have always been available whenever needed to answer queries.   We have no hesitation in recommending AJH Wills & Estates Ltd
  
 
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   Paul Grainger 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. From my first consultation meeting with Andrew I was immediately impressed with his extensive knowledge, integrity and excellent customer service. I was completley satisfied with the service that was provided and I wouldnt hesitate in recommending AHJ Wills & Estates Ltd to anyone looking for help writing a will or Lasting Power of Attorney.
  
 
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   Amir Goni 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Andrew and his team have been outstanding throughout all our dealings with them. They are very knowledgeable, professional and courteous as well as being excellent communicators and keeping us updated regularly which makes the process so much better from a customer perspective. I would definitely recommend them to family and friends.
  
 
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   Andrea Driscoll 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I chose Andrew of AHJ Wills to produce my will as there were certain clauses which I needed including. Andrew talked me through the whole process and listened to my requirements.  I would be more than happy to recommend Andrew as your trustworthy Will Writer
  
 
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   Lisa Booker 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I can't recommend Andrew enough! He took the time giving us face to face guidance, explaining everything clearly and answering any questions that we had. He put us at ease when discussing personal information and is very knowledgeable and personable. Definitely five stars! Thank you Andrew for all your help getting the wills and LPA's in place 😊
  
 
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   Ashley Towler 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Andrew, Victoria & the team at AHJ Wills were fantastic from the get go. Fast and efficient with great personal touch. Thanks again guys.

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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:

Protective Property Trusts
Discretionary Trusts
Disabled or Vulnerable Beneficiary Trusts
Flexible Life Interest Trusts
Trusts for Children and Grandchildren
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.

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Information downloads

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Considerations When Making Your Will

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Disabled Discretionary Trust

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Discretionary Trusts

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Executors and Trustees

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Flexible Life Interest Trust

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Nil Rate Band Discretionary Trust

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Protective Property Trusts

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Understanding Your Estate

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Why Make a Lasting Power of Attorney?

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Why Make a Will?

More than 50 years combined experience

Assisting clients with their hard earned wealth

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Get in touch with AHJ Wills & Estates

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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:

Protective Property Trusts – protect your share of a property while allowing a spouse or partner to live there for life.
Discretionary Trusts – allow trustees to decide how and when to distribute funds depending on beneficiaries’ needs.
Disabled or Vulnerable Beneficiary Trusts – protect the interests of beneficiaries who cannot manage money themselves.
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.