What a trust does
A trust lets you place assets in the care of people you trust, the trustees, who manage and distribute them for the benefit of others. For Muslim families the most common use is protecting a minor child’s inheritance, since the law of England and Wales does not let a minor receive an inheritance directly until they are eighteen.
Types of trust
Bare trusts
Simple and straightforward. The beneficiary has an immediate and absolute right to the assets.
Discretionary trusts
More flexible. The trustees decide how, when and to whom assets are distributed, within the terms you set.
Charitable trusts and waqf
For ongoing sadaqah jariyah, such as funding Islamic education, relief or the upkeep of a masjid.
When a trust fits
- Protecting a child’s inheritance until they are old enough
- Ring-fencing assets against tax or risk
- Passing on a family business
- Structured charitable giving
If a trust fits your situation, we will walk you through the right structure. If it does not, we will tell you plainly.