Your home. Your family. Protected.
A Family or Property Trust gives you control over what happens to your home and assets, now and after you’re gone, whatever life throws at your family along the way.
What is a Family or Property Trust?
A Family or Property Trust is a legal arrangement that gives you greater control over what happens to your home and assets after you die. Instead of assets passing directly to a beneficiary, they are managed by Trustees on their behalf. This adds an extra layer of protection for the people you love and ensures your wishes are carried out exactly as you intended.
We offer a range of trusts that can be tailored to your circumstances. We’ll explain your options clearly and help you decide what’s right for you.
Leave the hard work to us
Setting up a Family or Property Trust doesn’t have to be complicated. We guide you through the whole process, making it as straightforward as possible from start to finish.
1
Talk to us
Tell us about your situation and what you’re looking to protect. We’ll arrange an appointment at a time that suits you.
2
We find the right solution
Your dedicated consultant will explain your options clearly and advise on the trust that best fits your circumstances.
3
We handle everything
Once you’re happy to proceed, we prepare all the necessary documents and guide you through the process from start to finish.
Why do I need a Family or Property Trust?
Most people assume their Will is enough to protect their home and assets.
In many cases it isn’t.
Without the right trust in place, your estate could be exposed to care fees, remarriage or family disputes that leave the wrong people inheriting what you worked hard to build.
Protect those who need it most
If one of your beneficiaries is vulnerable, disabled or struggling with addiction, leaving them a direct inheritance could do more harm than good. A trust lets your Trustees manage their inheritance carefully, making sure the funds are used in their best interests.
Shield your estate from outside threats
If your spouse or partner ever needs care after you’re gone, your share of the home could be taken into account when calculating care fees. And if one of your beneficiaries faces bankruptcy or divorce, their inheritance could be at risk too. A Property Trust protects your assets from these threats before they arise.
Let your partner stay in the home they love
A trust can allow your partner to continue living in your home after you’re gone, without them ever owning it outright. The property remains protected for your chosen beneficiaries, while your partner keeps the security of a home they know.
Make sure your children get what you intended
If you leave everything to your partner and they remarry, your assets could end up passing to someone you never intended. A Property Trust ringfences your children’s inheritance so that no matter what happens after you’re gone, what you worked hard to build goes to the right people.
Which trust is right for you?
Every situation is different, and the right trust depends on your circumstances.
Here are some of the most common situations we help people with.
If any of these sound familiar, talk to us and we’ll find the right solution for you.
Worried about care fees eating into your estate?
If you or your partner ever needs long-term care, the value of your home could be taken into account when calculating fees. The right trust can protect your share of the property so it passes to the people you intended, not towards care costs.
Concerned about inheritance tax on your estate?
If the value of your estate exceeds the inheritance tax threshold, your beneficiaries could face a significant tax bill. The right trust structure can help reduce your estate’s exposure to inheritance tax, making sure more of what you’ve built passes to the people you love rather than to HMRC.
Concerned about what happens if your partner remarries?
If you leave everything to your partner and they remarry, your assets could end up passing to someone you never intended. A trust ring-fences your share for your chosen beneficiaries, whatever happens after you’re gone.
Want your partner to stay in the home but not own it?
You can allow your partner to continue living in your property after you’re gone, without them owning it outright. Your share remains protected for your beneficiaries throughout.
Have a vulnerable or disabled beneficiary?
Leaving a direct inheritance to someone who is vulnerable, disabled or struggling with addiction could do more harm than good. A trust lets your Trustees manage their inheritance carefully and in their best interests.
Not sure who should inherit or when?
If your circumstances are complex or you want flexibility, a trust can give your Trustees the power to decide who benefits, how much they receive and when, while you guide them with your wishes.
Understanding your Trust options
There are two main types of trust we offer at Bridgewells. Both protect your estate, but they work in different ways and at different times.
A Will Trust comes into effect when you die. It protects your assets after you’re gone, ensuring they pass to the right people regardless of what happens next.
A Lifetime Trust is set up during your lifetime and offers protection straight away. It can shield your home from care fees, remarriage and other threats while you are still alive.
Many people benefit from having both. We’ll help you understand which is right for your situation.
Will Trusts
This is for you if:
You want your partner to continue living in your property without inheriting it
You want to protect your estate from care fees and remarriage after your death
You want to ensure your chosen Beneficiaries inherit what you intended
You want to reduce your estate's exposure to inheritance tax
Lifetime Trusts
This is for you if:
You want to shield your home against care fees while you are still alive
You are concerned about sideways disinheritance
You want to preserve control over your main residence now
You want ongoing control and flexibility over your assets during your lifetime
You want protection that starts immediately, not just after you're gone
FAQ
What does a Trustee do?
A Trustee is the person legally responsible for managing the assets held in a Trust. They must always act in the best interests of the Beneficiaries and follow the instructions set out in the Trust deed.
How many Trustees do I need?
You should have at least two Trustees but can have up to four. Your Trustees can be the same people as your executors. We recommend choosing people you trust completely, as they will be responsible for managing and distributing your assets.
Who can be a Beneficiary of a Trust?
Anyone you choose. Your partner, children, grandchildren, other relatives, friends and even charities can all be named as Beneficiaries of a Family or Property Trust.
Can a Trustee also be a Beneficiary?
Yes. There is no rule that prevents a Trustee from also being a Beneficiary of the same Trust. Many people choose family members who will both manage and benefit from the Trust.
Who puts the assets into a Trust?
The person who places assets into a Trust is known as the Settlor. In most cases this is the person who owns the assets and is setting up the Trust to protect them.
What is the difference between Joint Tenants and Tenants in Common?
Joint Tenants means both owners share equal ownership of the entire property, and if one owner dies, their share automatically passes to the other.
Tenants in Common means each person owns a distinct share, usually 50/50, which does not automatically pass to the other owner and can instead be left within a Trust in your Will. To set up a Property Protection Trust, we change your ownership to Tenants in Common using a Deed of Severance.
Why choose Bridgewells?
We are committed to protecting the people you love and the assets you’ve worked hard to build.
When the time comes, what you leave behind should go exactly where you intended.
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Whether you’re ready to get started or just want to understand your options, we’re happy to help.
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