Vanuatu Trusts

About Us

Strategic Corporate Services Ltd is a leading independent Vanuatu professional services firm offering a comprehensive array of services to both corporate and private clients. Central to our range of services, is providing impartial guidance and assistance to individuals and families looking to establish trust strategies for asset protection and wealth preservation.

With years of experience navigating the intricate landscape of international finance and legal frameworks, we’re able to provide tailored solutions that meet the unique needs of our clients. From establishing robust trust structures to ongoing management and compliance, we ensure peace of mind and financial security for individuals, families, businesses, and organisations worldwide.*

Our in-house legal counsel oversees all communications, ensuring clients benefit from legal professional privilege and confidentiality in all their interactions and arrangements.

Vanuatu Trust Solutions: Navigating Centuries of English Trust Law

The common law system of trusts traces back to the mid-fourteenth century. From 1800 to 1875, UK courts refined doctrines, clarifying trust distinctions from other equity laws. The English law of trusts was codified post-1925 through Parliamentary Acts, evolving further via judicial decisions. UK trust laws stand as the gold standard, globally.

Importantly, Vanuatu’s legal system, fundamentally based on English law, has adopted and enforced trust laws, delivering entirely dependable trust structures to protect and fulfill the intentions of the trust’s settlor(s) and beneficiaries. Moreover, Vanuatu has developed its own legislation inspired by UK’s trust laws, offering additional protections and flexibilities to cater to the unique needs of individual clients.

• There is no provision for the registration of trusts in Vanuatu. All trust deeds are subject to stamp duty at the rate of 50¢ (with a minimum payment of US$75) for every US$100 or part thereof of the amount or value of the property settled. Trusts are normally settled for a nominal sum, eg US$100, as any additions to the corpus do not attract stamp duty. (USD$ is used here for convenience)

Trust establishment and structure:

Vanuatu trust laws, governing both offshore and onshore trusts, are renowned for their reliability and robust protections. Depending on the specific intentions of the trust and its intended duration, a hybrid trust structure may offer additional benefits. Furthermore, creating the role of a Trust Protector in a Trust Deed, and delineating the roles of Trustee and Trust Protector, to that of Appointor, can enhance the veracity of trust’s asset protection and offer greater flexibility to take advantage of opportunities.

• A Trust Protector plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the integrity of a trust. Functioning as an impartial overseer, the Trust Protector ensures that trustees fulfill their fiduciary duties in alignment with the trust’s intentions. Whether the trust is established onshore, in Vanuatu, or offshore in another jurisdiction, our Trust Protector services offer invaluable assurance. By providing a watchful eye and intervention authority when necessary, we uphold the trust’s integrity, offering peace of mind to beneficiaries and preserving the trust’s purpose over time. Learn more about our Trust Protector services >

While the legal fundamentals of trust structures remain similar, the nuances and effectiveness of each trust type are largely determined by the intricacies of the trust deed and the jurisdiction in which the trust is established. Certain jurisdictions, particularly those with trust laws based on English trust law, such as Vanuatu, have implemented laws and protocols to minimise the potential for interference, a crucial consideration in an era where legal attacks on trusts are increasingly prevalent.

Advanced Trust Structures

In addition to establishing traditional trust structures like Private Trust Companies (PTCs), Blind Trusts, Discretionary Trusts, Fixed Trusts, and Family Trusts, our firm specialises in a diverse range of advanced trust structures. These include Hybrid Trusts, Dynasty Trusts, Child Maintenance Trusts, Charitable Trusts, Service Trusts, Pension and Annuity Trusts, Testamentary Trusts, as well as Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs), Discretionary Spendthrift Trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), Purpose Trusts, and Management Trusts.

Indeed, for high-net-worth individuals and wealthy families, a meticulously constructed trust with comprehensive legal safeguards is the most practical and cost-effective means of preserving wealth and facilitating intergenerational wealth transfer.

Tailored Trust Deeds: Wealth Protection & Strategic Planning

Our trust advisory services go beyond mere surface-level guidance. We specialise in crafting bespoke Trust Deeds tailored to accommodate the diverse range of interests and intentions of all involved parties, including future intergenerational beneficiaries.

Accordingly, crafting an initial Trust Deed can be time-consuming and is thus not an inexpensive exercise. Our services are more attuned to wealthy individuals, and entrepreneurs with a gleaming future. Indeed, entrepreneurs embarking on their journeys should consider establishing a trust from the outset to safeguard their hard-earned wealth against potential setbacks along the way, thus avoiding the need to divest assets during critical times—actions that could leave assets vulnerable to creditor clawback in certain jurisdictions. Thus, establishing a trust from the outset is a strategic decision made by forward-thinking individuals.

While establishing a corporate entity in Vanuatu can be a prudent strategy for conducting business or holding assets, the versatility and advantages of trusts cannot be overlooked. Trusts, in combination with a corporate entity offer a dynamic and flexible approach to asset management, operating across multiple jurisdictions and benefiting from the most advantageous legal frameworks. However, the devil is in the detail, as they say, and crafting a Trust Deed with clear and unambiguous intentions is paramount to avoiding legal disputes down the line.

Transferring intellectual rights into a trust

A classic example of transferring ‘intellectual rights’ is that of a songwriter. A songwriter, in-fact any artist, can absolutely transfer their rights, such as copyright or royalty rights, into a trust. This can be done to achieve various purposes, including estate planning, asset protection, and efficient management of intellectual property assets. By transferring the rights into a trust, the songwriter can ensure that their intellectual property assets are managed and distributed according to their wishes, both during their lifetime and after their passing. Additionally, placing these rights into a trust can offer certain benefits such as privacy, flexibility, and potential tax advantages.

Proactive monitoring and advisory services

Our dedicated trust advisory team closely monitors global developments, enabling us to provide proactive guidance to ensure that our clients remain ahead of regulatory changes and emerging challenges.

Moreover, through our extensive professional affiliations and memberships, we vigilantly monitor global developments in trust law applications. This enables us to seamlessly construct, adapt, and relocate trusts to alternative jurisdictions when beneficial for our clients.

While maintaining our advisory and/or Trust Protector roles, we leverage advantageous incentives offered by various jurisdictions without necessarily altering the trust’s legal structure. This proactive approach ensures optimal trust management, maximising benefits for our clients while safeguarding their interests.