

Estate & Succession Planning
Estate & Succession Planning
Once upon a time, a man of destiny met a woman of substance. He was a brilliant CXO, she a beautiful daughter of a powerful man. They fell in love. It seemed like a match made in heaven. The marriage didn’t last long, but the post-marital bitterness continues till date. Many arms of the law and order machinery got involved. Accusations were met with counter accusations. Alimony debates added pungency to the bitterness. And the former sweethearts are now actively attempting to sabotage each other’s future.
This is just one of many such stories unfolding in modern India.
The collapse of a marriage is traumatic enough without having to deal with vindictiveness and threat to one’s financial security. And when the money involved is gargantuan, an already terrible situation becomes catastrophic. So the wealthy have two options to safeguard their wealth and wellness: the pre-nuptial agreement and a Trust. The former is becoming popular in India while the latter remains the most underrated instrument wielded by the country’s elite.
Here’s what you need to know about Trusts:
A wealthy person/family can set up a Family Trust to:
Going forward, we shall discuss the fifth advantage of a Family Trust: its ability to counter the threats posed by divorce.
Wealthy Indians of all ages (including those close to retirement and those beginning to ascend up the ladder) are getting divorced in larger numbers. So it’s never too late or too early to start a Family Trust. But keep in mind some best practices:
Overall, a Trust is like an insurance policy one takes against the aftermath of marrying an eminently unsuitable person. That’s the reason safeguarding clauses are put in the Trust Deed. Like the umbrella one carries to a picnic.
Background: A successful entrepreneur brought Entrust on board after global private banks fell short of expectations in managing a complex overseas investment structure. Challenge: The client, a resident Indian, had established a foreign company for investments. Initially, we were engaged purely to manage the portfolio. However, it became evident early on that this was not […]
Background: This client inherited a significant corpus and approached Entrust for investment advisory services. We designed a risk-aligned, staggered portfolio rollout. Challenge: At the onset of COVID-19, the client experienced deep anxiety and considered liquidating his portfolio entirely in favor of fixed deposits. It was clear he needed more than investment advice—he needed consistent support […]
Background: The client, a prominent creative entrepreneur, approached Entrust with apprehension. At the time, 90% of her investment portfolio was managed by other wealth firms. Her engagement with us began with a healthy skepticism about our role and the value we could bring. Challenge: Our mandate spanned investments, bookkeeping, real estate, legal, and concierge services. […]
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