The Role of the Trustee
The Trustee is the legal controller of the trust. They are responsible for managing the trust's assets for the ultimate benefit of the beneficiaries.
Key responsibilities include:
Legal Ownership: Holding the legal title to the trust's assets (e.g., property, shares, bank accounts).
Management: Making all day-to-day decisions, such as managing investments and paying trust expenses.
Distribution: Deciding how and when to distribute income or capital to the beneficiaries each year, as outlined in the Trust Deed.
Duty of Care: The Trustee must always act in the best interests of the beneficiaries and comply with all legal obligations.
A Trustee can be one or more individuals (over 18 years of age) or a dedicated company, which is known as a 'Corporate Trustee'.