{"id":111342,"date":"2025-02-04T23:58:57","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T23:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/?p=111342"},"modified":"2025-07-03T06:09:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T06:09:12","slug":"types-of-trusts-in-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"Living Trusts In Australia (Explained In Under 5 Minutes)"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 6<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<p>They\u2019re not just for wealthy folks. Even if you\u2019ve never looked into trusts before, you\u2019re probably part of a trust right now, because superannuation funds are a type of trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, there are a multitude of trust types, which can be confusing. Let\u2019s examine the core trust types used in Australia and why they can be useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Does A Trust Work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you create a trust, you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Appoint<\/strong> a trustee or trustees (which can include yourself);<\/li><li><strong>To oversee<\/strong> the management of the trusts assets;<\/li><li><strong>For the benefit<\/strong> of others (you can also be a beneficiary).<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The key components of a trust include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>The trustee\/s: <\/strong>The person or organisation that legally owns and manages the assets held by the trust \u2014 including making investment decisions, organising distributions of assets\/income, and filing the trust\u2019s tax returns.\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>The beneficiary or beneficiaries: <\/strong>The person or people who receive income from assets held by the trust, or who take ownership of the assets held by the trust at the end of the trust\u2019s term (aka its vesting date).<\/li><li><strong>The trust deed: <\/strong>A document that clarifies the rules of the trust, such as what can be distributed and to who. You may not need a trust deed where the rules of the trust have been set out in a person\u2019s Will.<\/li><li><strong>The appointer:<\/strong> A person with the power to appoint and remove the trustee, and appoint a replacement. It could be the trustee themselves, the primary trust beneficiary, or a trusted advisor\/person not involved in the trust.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A trust also requires a settlor, who sets up the trust \u2014 typically this is an accountant or lawyer you\u2019ve chosen to help you through the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/best-accounting-software-for-small-business\/\">Best Accounting Software For Your Business<\/a>).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span><em>People opt for trusts to run businesses, manage shared investment portfolios, share generational wealth among their relatives, or as part of their Will to provide inheritances.<\/em><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10+ Essential Types Of Trusts Used In Australia.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two main categories of trusts used in Australia to set-up a business or distribute wealth. These are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Discretionary trusts: <\/strong>Also known as family trusts, a discretionary trust is one where the person in control of the assets held (the trustee) can use their own discretion in determining who to share the income\/assets with and how much each beneficiary gets.<\/li><li><strong>Fixed or Unit trusts: <\/strong>Have more definitive rules about how income is shared based on either a fixed entitlement, or the number of units allocated to each beneficiary (similar to how shareholders returns are delivered in line with the number of shares held).<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also create what\u2019s known as a <strong>hybrid trust<\/strong> with elements of both a discretionary trust and a fixed trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, your trust deed might state that all trustees get an equal share of the interest earned on cash held by a trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the actual cash will be distributed at the trustee\u2019s discretion when the trust is terminated \u2014 which might be triggered by the death of a family member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/calculate-and-improve-net-profit-margin\/\">How To Calculate Your Net Profit Margin<\/a>).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Living Trust Vs Will.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Trusts originated in ancient Roman times with the legal concept of <em>fideicommissum<\/em> allowing for the transfer of wealth and property after death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then the idea of protecting transfers of wealth held during one\u2019s lifetime arose during the middle ages in England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span><em>In modern times, these two types of trusts remain in use: they\u2019re called testamentary trusts and living trusts.<\/em><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A living trust can refer to any trust you establish while you\u2019re still alive, but it\u2019s often talked about in relation to estate planning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, you might use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>A living trust<\/strong> (also known as an <em>Inter vivos<\/em> trust) to manage all your rental properties and shares, ensuring your favourite grandchildren can receive the rental and dividend income as distributions while you\u2019re alive \u2014 and then take possession of the assets when you pass on.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/li><li><strong>A testamentary trust<\/strong> within your will, which only becomes activated \u2014 and controlled by your chosen trustee \u2014 upon your death. The trustee could then take care of the assets and distributions on behalf of a minor (e.g., a young grandchild) until they reach legal age.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A trust is viewed as a more watertight option than a Will, and helps avoid probate (legal proceedings), and challenges, which can be costly and time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Assets held within a trust aren\u2019t considered part of your estate when you die. They remain under the control of the trustee\/s, who can directly transfer assets to beneficiaries.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A living trust might also be revocable or irrevocable, which refers to whether you can make amendments to the terms or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span><em>You can see how it gets confusing: the terms family trust, living trust, Inter vivos trust, discretionary trust, and revocable trust could all apply to one single trust.<\/em><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Special Purpose Trusts, Investments And Super Funds.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are various other labels used for trusts created for specific purposes, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Special Disability trusts: <\/strong>Where the trustee manages assets for the benefit of a person with a disability that prevents them from managing their own assets.<\/li><li><strong>Charitable trusts: <\/strong>Where the beneficiary or beneficiaries are a charitable organisation or cause, often done to take advantage of tax concessions on donations.<\/li><li><strong>Blind trusts:<\/strong> Where the person who creates the trust and its beneficiaries have no knowledge of how the assets are being managed by the trustee \u2014 to reduce conflicts of interest.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Many investment vehicles<\/strong> have the underling structure of a trust. This includes managed funds, ETFs and Real estate investment trusts (REITs) that may be unlisted or available to trade via a stock exchange. These are called public unit trusts.<\/li><li><strong>All Australian super funds<\/strong>, including self-managed super funds (SMSFs) are structured as trusts \u2014 they hold and manage assets for the benefit of members.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FAQs Answered About Living Trusts.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people are confused about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Assets Are Held By Trusts?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Commonly it\u2019s cash\/bank accounts, real estate, and investment accounts\/stocks. It might also include things like valuable artwork, jewellery and other collectibles. It can also include digital assets like cryptocurrency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Are The Main Benefits Of A Living Trust?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tax minimisation is a major benefit. Additionally, you might choose a trust over other types of arrangements to take advantage of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"arrow-wrapper\"><div class=\"arrow-list\"><ul><li><strong>Greater privacy<\/strong>, as it\u2019s a private agreement. The trustee\/s can be separate from the person\/people who really own the trust or benefit from its assets.<\/li><li><strong>Less compliance <\/strong>compared to companies that have to comply with ASIC regulations, lodge annual reports and organise independent audits.<\/li><li><strong>Protecting assets<\/strong> from creditors and lawsuits, or people that might target beneficiaries (e.g., scammers, gold-diggers), because the assets aren\u2019t directly held.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You can start to see why rich people love them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Can I Buy A House Under A Family Trust?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, property can be purchased using a family trust provided that\u2019s possible within the rules of the trust deed. It could be a family home you\u2019ll live in or an investment property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A number of Australian banks and lenders will provide home loans to family trusts, but it can mean that all the trustees and beneficiaries need to provide identification and paperwork to complete the loan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Different banks will also have different eligibility criteria.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Who Uses Trusts And Why?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Australian Tax Office statistics show there are 1.49m trusts and super funds in Australia, compared to 1.18m companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/popularity-of-trusts-and-companies-in-australia-1024x791.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-111438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/popularity-of-trusts-and-companies-in-australia-1024x791.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/popularity-of-trusts-and-companies-in-australia-300x232.jpg 300w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/popularity-of-trusts-and-companies-in-australia-768x593.jpg 768w, https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/popularity-of-trusts-and-companies-in-australia.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Above: ATO data from the 2021-22 income year shows the number of trusts and super funds in Australia is greater than the number of companies.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ATO data also shows the main type of trust established in Australia is discretionary\/family trusts, which account for more than 80% of all trusts (2021-22 income year).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-create-block-tip-block tip-wrapper\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-md-12\"><div class=\"card-wrapper\"><div class=\"card-title\"><div class=\"icon\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" viewBox=\"0 0 20 20\" fill=\"none\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M7.5 14.33a5 5 0 1 1 5 0v4.17h-5v-4.17Zm4.25-1.3-.75.44V17H9v-3.53l-.75-.44a3.5 3.5 0 1 1 3.5 0Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><path d=\"M9.25 1v2h1.5V1h-1.5ZM5.53 4.47l-1.5-1.5-1.06 1.06 1.5 1.5 1.06-1.06ZM15.53 5.53l1.5-1.5-1.06-1.06-1.5 1.5 1.06 1.06ZM1 10.75h2v-1.5H1v1.5ZM17 10.75h2v-1.5h-2v1.5Z\" fill=\"#656E83\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div><h3 placeholder=\"Tip Title Goes Here\">Important!<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"card-content\"><p placeholder=\"Tip Content Goes Here\">Depending on the trust deed, a family trust may not need to distribute all of its income annually, but that\u2019s typically the goal. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Director of HLB Mann Judd advisory firm, <a href=\"https:\/\/hlb.com.au\/family-trusts-legal-and-tax-considerations\/\">Helena Yuan<\/a>, said splitting the trust\u2019s income across a family group can result in overall tax savings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span><em>\u201cA family trust in Australia is often seen as a flow-through entity, meaning trust income is usually taxed in the hands of beneficiaries who have a present entitlement to it\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Beneficiaries pay the relevant personal tax rate via their individual tax returns, rather than the corporate tax rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Company Vs Trust Structure Explained.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Legally speaking, a trust is a relationship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s an agreement between the trustee\/s and the beneficiaries \u2014 and trustees are personally liable for all debts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span><em>Trusts are treated as entities for taxation purposes, with a separate tax file number and the requirement for the trustee to lodge an income tax return.<\/em><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Whereas companies are legal entities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chartered accountant <a href=\"https:\/\/carbongroup.com.au\/should-i-set-my-business-up-as-a-trust-or-company\/\">Clinton Gibson<\/a> from Carbon Group explains one key benefit of that: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"indent-wrapper\"><div class=\"indented-text\"><span>\u201c\u2026your legal identity is separate from your business and as a result it will be your company, not you personally, that is responsible for your business\u2019 contracts and risks.\u201d<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Gibson said that while trusts can be advantageous for minimising tax \u2014 particularly in relation to capital gains tax concessions \u2014 they can be expensive to operate, inflexible and result in tax burdens if managed poorly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you\u2019ll pay the highest marginal tax rate on any trust profits that are not distributed to beneficiaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Trusts<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Companies<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Governed<\/strong> by a trust deed, which defines the rules and timespan.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Controlled<\/strong> by members and\/or shareholders.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Run<\/strong> by the trustee\/s, which can be a person or a company (known as a corporate trustee).<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Run<\/strong> by directors and managers (who can be voted out or fired).<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Lifespan<\/strong> of 50-80 years usually.<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Potentially<\/strong> lasts forever.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Trustee\/s<\/strong> personally liable for all debts (limited liability if its a corporate trustee).<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><strong>Company<\/strong>, not you personally, is liable for business debts (your personal assets are protected).<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Do You Need A Family Trust?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Trusts are popular but not necessarily the most convenient or cost-effective option. It may also not be worth the hassle if you don\u2019t have significant assets to include in the trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They can cost thousands to establish and you\u2019ll likely need ongoing professional support to ensure you\u2019re managing the trust&#8217;s investments well, and meeting all your obligations as a trustee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re considering creating a trust, its best to get professional financial advice before you act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Jody<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 6<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>They\u2019re not just for wealthy folks. Even if you\u2019ve never looked into trusts before, you\u2019re probably part of a trust<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":111424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[277,257],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-founder","category-business"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Living Trusts In Australia (Explained In Under 5 Minutes)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Australians love trusts. But why are they so popular, and what traps must you know about before setting up a living trust?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Living Trusts In Australia (Explained In Under 5 Minutes)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Australians love trusts. But why are they so popular, and what traps must you know about before setting up a living trust?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Arielle Executive\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArielleExecutive\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-04T23:58:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-03T06:09:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1490\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"838\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jody McDonald\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@arielleexec\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@arielleexec\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jody McDonald\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Living Trusts In Australia (Explained In Under 5 Minutes)","description":"Australians love trusts. But why are they so popular, and what traps must you know about before setting up a living trust?","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Living Trusts In Australia (Explained In Under 5 Minutes)","og_description":"Australians love trusts. But why are they so popular, and what traps must you know about before setting up a living trust?","og_url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/","og_site_name":"Arielle Executive","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArielleExecutive\/","article_published_time":"2025-02-04T23:58:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-07-03T06:09:12+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1490,"height":838,"url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jody McDonald","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@arielleexec","twitter_site":"@arielleexec","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jody McDonald","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/"},"author":{"name":"Jody McDonald","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/person\/ad627358e3d76f0a49b8a918c9f851fb"},"headline":"Living Trusts In Australia (Explained In Under 5 Minutes)","datePublished":"2025-02-04T23:58:57+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-03T06:09:12+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/"},"wordCount":1732,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg","articleSection":["Founder Resources","Small Business"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/","name":"Living Trusts In Australia (Explained In Under 5 Minutes)","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg","datePublished":"2025-02-04T23:58:57+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-03T06:09:12+00:00","description":"Australians love trusts. But why are they so popular, and what traps must you know about before setting up a living trust?","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/types-of-trusts-in-australia\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg","width":1490,"height":838,"caption":"types of living trusts in australia"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#website","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/","name":"Arielle Executive","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#organization","name":"Arielle Executive","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/arielle-executive-aex-icon.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/arielle-executive-aex-icon.jpg","width":600,"height":600,"caption":"Arielle Executive"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ArielleExecutive\/","https:\/\/x.com\/arielleexec","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/arielle-executive\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/person\/ad627358e3d76f0a49b8a918c9f851fb","name":"Jody McDonald","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/jody-mcdonald-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/jody-mcdonald-96x96.png","caption":"Jody McDonald"},"description":"I write about the Australian economy, investing, digital transformation and the future of work. During my 20+ year career, I've reported for Australian business publications and bodies, including Forbes, The Chainsaw and NSW Business Chamber.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/contentquill\/"],"url":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/author\/jody\/"}]}},"modified_by":"Steven McConnell","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg",1490,838,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia-1024x576.jpg",1024,576,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg",1490,838,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia.jpg",1490,838,false],"alm-thumbnail":["https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/types-of-living-trusts-in-australia-150x150.jpg",150,150,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Jody McDonald","author_link":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/author\/jody\/"},"uagb_comment_info":1,"uagb_excerpt":"Reading Time: 6 minutesThey\u2019re not just for wealthy folks. Even if you\u2019ve never looked into trusts before, you\u2019re probably part of a trust","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111342"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111342\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118695,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111342\/revisions\/118695"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arielle.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}