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A Jersey trust gives families and business owners abroad a structure under the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984, one of the most developed trust laws anywhere. Jersey law alone decides whether the trust is valid, foreign heirship claims are shut out, there is no public register, and a trust with non-resident beneficiaries pays no Jersey tax on foreign income.
The hard part is getting started. To set up a trust in Jersey you need a licensed trustee willing to accept you, and trustees review the settlor, the beneficiaries and the source of every asset before they sign. The deed has to fit your family and your tax position at home. Approaching trust companies one by one often takes weeks.
Setting it up with us is simple. Binderr works with licensed trust companies in Jersey and handles the file for you: the structure call, your KYC and source of wealth pack, the right trustee, and any company or bank account the trust needs. One team, one written quote.
Jersey Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% standard / 10% financial services
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
Why Set Up a Trust in Jersey
Jersey has been a leading trust centre for decades, and its trust law has been amended many times since 1984, most recently in 2026. Around 29,000 trusts are administered on the island. These are the reasons settlors abroad choose it, and how it compares is covered in the best jurisdictions for trust formation.
A Trust Law That Shuts Out Foreign Claims
Article 9 of the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 says that Jersey law alone decides the validity of the trust, the transfers into it, the settlor's capacity and how it is run. Forced heirship rules from other countries apply only if the settlor is domiciled in Jersey, and a foreign judgment that conflicts with Article 9 cannot be enforced on the island. For families from civil law countries, this firewall is often the main reason to choose Jersey. Read more in Jersey's trust law and why it leads offshore trusts.
No Register and No Public Filing
There is no register of trusts in Jersey, the trust deed is not filed anywhere, and there is no government fee to create a trust. Beneficial ownership information is held by the regulated trust company that administers it, and MONEYVAL rated that system as substantially effective in its 2024 report. Privacy comes from the law, not from secrecy: the trustee still reports under CRS.
Set Up a Trust in Jersey
A trust in Jersey is very doable when the file is ready before you meet the trustee. This is what we handle for you.
- The right trustee: A licensed trust company in Jersey that fits your assets and family.
- KYC and source of wealth: Your file built once and checked before submission.
- Structure first: Trust type, protector and underlying company agreed upfront.
- No weeks of chasing: One introduction instead of approaching firms one by one.
- Company and bank account: Arranged with the trust where the structure needs them.
- Clear costs: Set-up and yearly fees in one written quote.
- One point of contact: From the first call to the signed deed.
No Jersey Tax on Foreign Income
Under Revenue Jersey's Concession M1, trustees are not taxed on income from outside Jersey where all the beneficiaries live outside the island. Jersey has no capital gains tax, no inheritance tax and no gift tax, and no stamp duty is charged on creating or running a trust. The tax that matters is the tax where the settlor and the beneficiaries live.
No Time Limit on the Trust
Article 15 allows a trust to last indefinitely. The old 100-year limit was removed by an amendment in force from 27 October 2006, so a family trust can run for as many generations as it is useful.
Powers the Settlor Can Keep
Article 9A lets a settlor keep defined powers without making the trust invalid: to revoke or vary it, to direct investments, to appoint or remove trustees and enforcers, and to change the governing law. This reserved powers regime suits settlors who want to stay involved in how the assets are invested.
A Court That Can Correct Mistakes
Since 2013, Articles 47B to 47J let the Royal Court set aside a transfer into a trust, or a trustee's decision, made by mistake or without proper consideration of the relevant factors. That gives families a remedy most trust jurisdictions do not offer in statute.
A Law Kept Up to Date
The Trusts (Amendment No. 8) (Jersey) Law came into force on 20 March 2026. It stops beneficiaries from ending a trust together where other people could still become beneficiaries, lets a lender's security rank ahead of a trustee's lien, voids the resignation of a sole trustee that would leave the trust with no trustee, and confirms that a Jersey LLC can act as trustee.
What a Trust in Jersey Is
A trust is an arrangement, not a company. The settlor transfers assets to a trustee, who owns them legally and holds them for the beneficiaries under the terms of the trust deed. The trust itself is not a legal person, so bank accounts, shares and property are held in the trustee's name.
The Settlor
The person who creates the trust and transfers the first assets into it. The settlor usually signs a letter of wishes that guides the trustee on how to use its discretion, and may keep reserved powers under Article 9A.
The Trustee
The trustee holds the assets, makes the decisions and keeps the records. Under Article 21, the trustee must act in good faith and with prudence and keep accurate accounts and records. For settlors abroad, the trustee is almost always a licensed trust company on the island.
The Beneficiaries
The people or classes of people who can benefit, such as the settlor's children and future grandchildren. In a discretionary trust, no beneficiary has a fixed right until the trustee decides.
The Protector and the Enforcer
A protector is an optional watchdog who can approve or veto key trustee decisions, often a family adviser. An enforcer is required for a non-charitable purpose trust under Articles 12 and 13, and cannot also be a trustee.
Types of Trusts in Jersey
Jersey law supports every common type of trust. The right one depends on what the assets are for and how much certainty the beneficiaries need.
Discretionary Trust
The trustee decides who receives capital and income, when and how much. It is the most common family trust because it adapts as the family changes. Read more in how to set up a Jersey discretionary trust.
Fixed Interest Trust
Each beneficiary's entitlement is set in the deed, for example a life interest in the income for a spouse, then capital to the children. It gives certainty but little flexibility.
Reserved Powers Trust
A trust where the settlor keeps powers under Article 9A, most often the power to direct investments. It suits entrepreneurs who want to keep control of a family company or portfolio.
Non-Charitable Purpose Trust
A trust for a purpose rather than for people, such as holding the shares of a company. It must have an enforcer under Articles 12 and 13, and it is widely used to own special purpose vehicles in financing deals.
Charitable Trust
A trust for charitable purposes, used by families for philanthropy and by institutions for endowments.
Employee Benefit Trust
A discretionary trust for a company's employees, with the company itself excluded as a beneficiary. Groups use it to hold shares for incentive plans.
Jersey Property Unit Trust
A unit trust in which unit holders have beneficial interests in the assets. It is a common way for investors to hold UK real estate, as covered in how to use a Jersey structure to hold UK property.
Sharia-Compliant Trust
A trust can be restricted to meet Sharia requirements on investments and distributions, and Jersey foundations can also serve as Islamic endowments.
Jersey Trust Requirements
The law sets few formal rules, but trustees and banks apply strict standards in practice. These are the Jersey trust requirements that decide whether the trust is accepted.
A Licensed Trustee
The law lets any person with full capacity act as a trustee. Anyone who acts as trustee by way of business in or from Jersey must be registered with the JFSC under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998, and acting without that registration is a criminal offence. For a settlor abroad, the trustee is a trust company licensed in Jersey.
A Trust Deed
In practice, the terms are set out in a trust deed signed by the trustee, naming the beneficiaries, the trustee's powers and the governing law, with a letter of wishes alongside it.
Property to Settle
The trust exists once the trustee holds property on its terms. The first asset can be a nominal sum as small as £10, with larger assets added later. A trust cannot hold Jersey land directly, under Article 11(2)(a)(iii), so island property is held through a company.
A Complete Settlor File
The trustee checks the settlor's identity, the source of the wealth being settled, the beneficiaries and evidence that the settlor has taken tax advice. This file is the part that takes the most time, and the part we prepare for you.
Records and Accounts
Under Article 21(5), the trustee must keep accurate accounts and records of the trusteeship. Meeting the Jersey trust requirements for records is the trustee's job, but the settlor's file is where it starts.
Jersey Trust Formation for Settlors Abroad
Most Jersey trusts are set up by people who live elsewhere. Jersey trust formation works the same way for a settlor abroad as for a resident, with three points that need planning.
What Changes When You Live Abroad
Nothing in the law requires the settlor to live in Jersey or to visit, just as with setting up a business in Jersey as a non-resident. Documents are certified where you live, the deed can be signed remotely, and the trustee handles the administration on the island.
Tax Advice Where You Live
Your home country decides how the trust, its income and its distributions are taxed in your hands and your beneficiaries' hands. Trustees ask for evidence that you have taken that advice. Getting it before the deed is signed avoids a structure that works in Jersey but not at home.
Where the Trustee Decides
The trust is administered in Jersey, and the trustee's decisions must be made there. A settlor who directs every decision from abroad, outside the reserved powers in the deed, risks the trust being treated as a sham.
Set Up a Trust in Jersey From Abroad
Setting up from abroad is routine for Jersey trustees, and we make it simple for you.
- No travel: Documents certified where you live, deed signed remotely.
- Trustee matched: A licensed trust company that accepts your profile.
- Tax questions flagged: We tell you what to confirm with your adviser at home.
- Source of wealth written up: Clear, short and backed by documents.
- Company and account ready: Where the trust holds investments through a company.
- One team: No emails between you, the trustee and the bank.
How to Set Up a Jersey Trust
This is how to set up a Jersey trust with us, in the order that avoids delays.
Decide What the Trust Is For
Succession, asset protection, holding a family company, philanthropy or an employee plan. Larger families often pair the trust with a family office in Jersey. The purpose decides the type of trust, the beneficiaries and the powers.
Choose the Type and the Trustee
We agree the trust type, whether a protector is needed and whether an underlying company will hold the assets. Then we introduce the licensed trust company that fits your assets, family and budget.
Build the KYC and Source of Wealth File
Passports, proofs of address, a source of wealth summary with evidence, and the details of beneficiaries and any protector. We check the file before the trustee sees it.
Take Tax Advice at Home
Your adviser confirms how the trust will be taxed where you and the beneficiaries live. The trustee asks for this before it signs.
Agree the Deed and the Letter of Wishes
The trustee prepares the deed; you review it with your adviser and sign a letter of wishes that guides the trustee's discretion.
Settle the First Assets
The trust exists once the trustee holds the first property. Larger assets, such as shares, a portfolio or cash, follow once the accounts are open.
Set Up the Company and the Bank Account
Where the trust holds assets through a company, we form it in about a week and open its account with our partners. Knowing how to set up a Jersey trust is mostly about sequence: file, advice, deed, assets, then company and account.
Documents Needed to Set Up a Trust in Jersey
Trustees ask for the same core documents. A complete set is what turns weeks into days.
For the Settlor
A passport, proof of address from the last three months, a summary of source of wealth with evidence such as a business sale agreement, dividend statements or salary records, and confirmation of tax advice.
For the Beneficiaries, Protector and Enforcer
Identity details for the named beneficiaries, and full KYC for any protector or enforcer, because they hold real powers over the trust.
For the Assets
Evidence of ownership of the assets to be settled: share registers, portfolio statements, bank statements or valuations. Where a company will be held, its constitution and registers are needed too.
Trust vs Foundation vs Company in Jersey
Jersey offers three ways to hold family or business assets, and the right one depends on control, formality and what the assets are for.
Factor | Trust | Foundation | Company |
|---|---|---|---|
Legal person | No, the trustee holds the assets | Yes | Yes |
Governing document | Trust deed and letter of wishes | Charter and regulations | Memorandum and articles |
Who runs it | The trustee | A council, with a qualified member | The directors |
Oversight | Optional protector, enforcer for purpose trusts | A guardian is required | The shareholders |
Public registration | None | Registered at the JFSC Registry | Registered at the JFSC Registry |
Government fees | None | £200 to register, then £220 or £330 a year | £200 Registry fee inside our price from €1,499, then £330 or £220 a year |
Best for | Family succession and flexible benefit | Families from civil law countries who want a legal person | Holding investments, property and trading |
A trust is the most flexible of the three and has no public filing at all. A foundation gives a legal person with a council and a guardian, and a company is the working vehicle that a trust or foundation often owns.
When a Foundation Fits Better
Families from civil law countries sometimes prefer a foundation, because it is a legal person with a charter they recognise. More than 475 Jersey foundations were registered by February 2026. Read how to set up a Jersey foundation, compare a private foundation vs a trust, or see bank accounts for Jersey foundations.
When a Company Fits Better
A company is the right vehicle for trading, investing and holding property, and it is often owned by the trust. Read our guide to company formation in Jersey and the benefits of incorporating a company in Jersey.
Jersey Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% standard / 10% financial services
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
Using a Jersey Company With the Trust
Many trusts hold their assets through a company rather than directly. The company gives the trustee limited liability, a simpler way to hold property and portfolios, and an entity that banks and counterparties understand.
An Underlying Holding Company
The trustee owns the shares, and the company holds the investments or property. We form Jersey companies in about a week from €1,499, with administration of about €2,000 to €4,500 a year. Read how to set up a Jersey holding company and how a holding company and trust structure fits together.
A Private Trust Company
Larger families sometimes form their own trustee, a private trust company. It is exempt from the trust company business licence if it acts only for specific trusts, does not solicit the public, is administered by a registered trust company business and has its name notified to the JFSC. Private trust companies have also had to register with the JFSC for AML supervision since 2023. Read how to set up a private trust company in Jersey and about bank accounts for Jersey private trust companies.
A Purpose Trust Above an SPV
In financing and securitisation deals, a purpose trust with an enforcer owns the shares of the vehicle, so the vehicle sits outside the sponsor's group. Read how to set up an SPV in Jersey.
Jersey Company Incorporation
Binderr
Corporate tax
0% standard / 10% financial services
Time to incorporate
1 Week
Cost
Starting from €1,499
Tax on a Trust in Jersey
Jersey taxes a trust lightly, and a trust with beneficiaries abroad and income from abroad pays no Jersey tax at all.
Tax | Position in Jersey |
|---|---|
Income tax on foreign income | Not charged where all beneficiaries live outside Jersey, under Revenue Jersey Concession M1 |
Income tax on Jersey income | Charged on Jersey-source income, with Jersey bank interest excluded by concession |
Capital gains tax | None |
Inheritance and gift tax | None |
Stamp duty | None on creating or running a trust; only on conveyances of Jersey property |
Government fee on creation | None |
Tax Where You and the Beneficiaries Live
The home country's rules decide the rest. Many countries tax a settlor who can still benefit, or tax distributions when beneficiaries receive them. The trustee reports under CRS to the tax authorities where the settlor and beneficiaries live, and a trust that holds UK land or has UK tax to pay may need to register with HMRC's Trust Registration Service. Take advice before the deed is signed.
Jersey Trust Cost in 2026
Trusts are quoted separately from our company formation price, because the trustee's fees depend on the assets and the family. What the Jersey trust cost looks like in practice is set out below, from published trust company tariffs in 2026.
Cost item | When it is paid | Typical amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
Structure, KYC pack and trustee introduction with Binderr | Once, before the trustee accepts | Quoted with your setup | Structure advice, settlor and beneficiary KYC, source of wealth file and trustee matching |
Trust deed and set-up by the trustee | Once, at settlement | About £2,000 to £5,000 | Drafting the deed, the acceptance review and settling the first assets |
Annual trustee fee | Each year | About £4,000 to £7,000 | Trusteeship, decisions, records and CRS reporting |
Compliance and administration | Each year | About £1,000 to £2,000 | Periodic reviews, KYC refreshes and routine administration |
Trust accounts | Each year | From about £1,250 | Accounts and records under Article 21(5) |
Underlying Jersey company, where used | Formation once, then yearly | From €1,499, then about €2,000 to €4,500 a year | A holding company for investments or property |
Bank account for the company with our partners | Monthly | About €10 to €100 a month | A multi-currency account with real IBANs |
Government fee for the trust | Never | None | No registration, filing or stamp duty on a trust |
Realistic first-year total | Year one | About £8,000 to £15,000 for a simple discretionary trust, as a planning range | Deed, trusteeship, administration and accounts |
Jersey Trust Formation Costs by Profile
Trust profile | Realistic first year | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|
Simple discretionary family trust | About £8,000 to £15,000 | Trustee fees, administration and accounts |
Trust with an underlying Jersey company | About £11,000 to £20,000 | The company's administration and filings on top of the trust |
Purpose trust above an SPV | Quoted with your setup | The enforcer, the deal documents and the vehicle |
Private trust company for a family | Quoted with your setup | The company's board, its administrator and AML registration |
Employee benefit trust | Quoted with your setup | The number of employees and the employer's reporting |
The assets move the total most. A trust holding one bank portfolio sits at the low end; one holding several companies, property in different countries or frequent distributions sits higher. From the second year, the set-up fee drops out and the yearly fees remain. Read our guide to the cost of Jersey company formation for the company side.
Jersey Trust Cost in One Written Quote
Know the whole number before you commit. This is what our quote covers.
- Set-up fees: The trustee's deed and acceptance costs, in writing.
- Yearly fees: Trusteeship, administration and accounts agreed upfront.
- Company costs: Formation from €1,499 and yearly administration, where used.
- Banking: The partner plan for the company's account.
- No government fees: No registration or stamp duty on the trust itself.
- One contact: We coordinate the trustee, the company and the bank.
How Long a Trust Takes to Set Up in Jersey
The trust itself is created the day the trustee holds the first property on the terms of the deed. The time goes into preparing the file and the trustee's acceptance review.
Stage | Typical time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
Structure call and KYC pack | 3 to 5 days | We agree the structure and build your file |
Trustee acceptance review | Depends on the trustee and the completeness of the file | The trustee checks the settlor, beneficiaries, assets and tax advice |
Deed signed and first assets settled | The day the deed is signed | The trust comes into existence |
Company and bank account, where used | About 1 week for the company, about 4 days for the account | The holding company is formed and banked |
What Speeds It Up
A source of wealth summary with evidence, confirmed tax advice, and complete KYC for every protector and beneficiary named in the deed. Missing any of these sends the file back for questions.
Banking for a Trust in Jersey
The trust's accounts are opened in the trustee's name, because the trust is not a legal person. Island banks such as Butterfield and Standard Bank serve trust companies directly, and the trustee handles the application. Jersey's depositor compensation scheme covers individuals, not trusts or companies, so a trust's cash at a Jersey bank carries no scheme cover.
Where the trust holds its assets through a company, that company can bank with our licensed partners like any company owned from abroad: a multi-currency account in about 4 days, with no minimum balance and far lower payment and currency costs. Our guide to banking for trusts and foundations explains the options. Read about banking and custodian services for Jersey trusts and funds and offshore bank accounts in Jersey.
Moneybase
Multi Currency Business Account
Time to onboard
4 Days
Account opening fee
Free
Monthly fee
Starting from € 9.99
3S Money
Cross-border payments
Time to onboard
4 Days
Account opening fee
Free
Monthly fee
Starting from € 100
Running a Trust in Jersey Each Year
Once it is settled, the trust is run by the trustee, with a few points the family should know.
The Trustee's Duties
Under Article 21, the trustee must act in good faith, with prudence, and keep accurate accounts and records. It reviews the assets, makes distributions under the deed and the letter of wishes, and keeps the file up to date.
Reporting
The trustee reports the trust under CRS each year to the tax authorities where the settlor and beneficiaries live. Changes in the family, such as a beneficiary moving country, can change what is reported.
Keeping the Letter of Wishes Current
A letter of wishes written when the children were young rarely fits twenty years later. Review it after births, marriages, divorces and business sales.
Changing Trustees
Trustees can be replaced under the deed. Since the 2026 amendment, a sole trustee cannot resign in a way that leaves the trust with no trustee.
Common Mistakes When You Set Up a Trust in Jersey
Most problems with a trust start before it is signed. These are the mistakes to avoid when you set up a trust in Jersey.
Keeping Too Much Control
A settlor who directs every decision outside the reserved powers in the deed risks the trust being treated as a sham. Keep the powers you need in the deed and let the trustee decide the rest.
Skipping Tax Advice at Home
A trust that works in Jersey can still create tax at home for the settlor or the beneficiaries. Trustees ask for evidence of advice for this reason.
Putting Jersey Land in the Trust Directly
A trust cannot hold Jersey land directly under Article 11(2)(a)(iii). Island property is held through a company owned by the trust.
No Letter of Wishes
Without one, the trustee has only the deed to go on. A short, clear letter makes decisions faster and closer to what the settlor wanted.
Choosing the Trustee on Fee Alone
A trustee that is cheap but slow to respond or unfamiliar with your assets costs more over time. Choose on experience with your type of assets and family first.
Talk to Us About Setting Up a Trust in Jersey
Not sure whether a trust, a foundation or a company fits? Tell us what the assets are for and we recommend the structure.
- Trust or foundation: Which one suits your family and your home country.
- Underlying companies: When a company should hold the assets.
- Existing structures: Moving a trust or its assets to Jersey.
- Complex assets: Family companies, property and portfolios in several countries.
- One point of contact: Trustee, company and bank coordinated for you.
Bottom Line
Jersey offers one of the strongest trust laws available: a firewall against foreign claims, reserved powers for the settlor, no time limit, no register and no Jersey tax on foreign income for beneficiaries abroad. What makes it work is the file: a licensed trustee, a complete KYC and source of wealth pack, tax advice at home and a clear deed. A simple discretionary trust costs about £8,000 to £15,000 in the first year, more with an underlying company. We prepare the file, match the trustee and set up the company and account, so you deal with one team. For the company side, read our guide to Jersey offshore company formation.
