Asset Protection

The future is uncertain, but your wealth planning shouldn’t be. You’ll need innovative solutions to protect your assets whatever comes your way. From trusts to foundations and other options, we guide you through the planning process and the accounting and tax reporting obligations when using different types of structures.

Protecting your assets - whatever comes your way

The key to protecting your wealth, your family and your reputation is to develop a plan as early as possible so that when something does happen, you’re prepared. We look at your assets separately and as a whole in the context of a number of scenarios, including:

  • Potential for future claims, especially those that may be related to your business or personal wealth
  • Divorce or separation
  • Disputes involving children
  • Need for long-term care
  • Inheritance and transferring wealth

While these situations are rarely straightforward, assets and beneficiaries across multiple countries make it even more complex. Our diverse team of lawyers help numerous clients every year on complex cross-border cases, where wealth needs to be protected.

Get in touch

Jennifer Mayo

Partner | Zurich

+41 44 567 8802 | Direct

Email me

Options to Protect Your Assets and Legacy

  • Trusts – A trust can be designed in a manner that will exist for future generations following the lifetime of the original grantor.
  • Foundations and charities – Foundations allow you to leave a personal and family legacy, impart charitable giving as a lasting tradition, and may be able to reduce tax for you and your estate.
  • Insurance solutions
  • Lifetime gifts
  • Wills
  • Companies
  • Fund vehicles

Setting Up a Trust

An increasingly popular choice

You can use a trust to protect wealth which may be in various forms, including real estate, your business, personal investments, shares, cash and jewellery, art works, and other types of assets.

As family wealth has become more complex, often with assets held in multiple countries, using trust structures has become increasingly popular. There is good reason for this – there are many advantages to using a trust for:

  • Transferring your wealth to beneficiaries – One of the benefits of using a trust, in addition to a will, is that the assets kept in trusts are generally not considered part of your estate, meaning that you can avoid the delays and costs of probate, making for a smoother transfer of wealth.
  • Mitigating risk and protecting your wealth - A trust can help shield your assets from creditor risk.
  • Keeping your financial affairs private – A trust is a private arrangement so in many jurisdictions is not publicly disclosed, like probate.
  • Fulfilling your philanthropic goals – A trust can be used to fulfil any charitable interests you may have, and give you more oversight over how and to what causes contributions are made.

Our team sets up trusts for high net worth clients around the world and advises on the tax obligations arising from using these structures. And in cases where trusts are not recognised (e.g. in certain civil law jurisdictions, or situations where common law and civil law conflict) we develop solutions that fit your needs and situation.