Before you provide advice on your next family trust matter, whether in the context of, succession planning, business structuring, litigation or trust administration… make sure that you are on top of this complex area of the law and that you can confidently advise your clients on all relevant matters including trust creation options, bespoke drafting to meet client’s objectives, distribution strategies, tax benefits and asset protection.
In this workshop, you will work with an expert to examine the legal requirements and navigate the critical steps for structuring tailored trust solutions that achieve client objectives efficiently and without dispute.
Wednesday, 16 September 2026
FAMILY TRUSTS MASTERCLASS
An expertly crafted family trust must accomplish a number of goals. In this workshop you will gain hands on skills and insights on the following issues and more.
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD units in Substantive Law
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
9.00am to 10.00am Part One: The What, Who, How, Why and When of Family Trusts
- Legal Framework and Creation
- Legal framework
- Trust creation
- Legislation, common law and equity
- Types of trusts
- Who is Involved in a Family Trust
- Settlor
- Trustee
- Beneficiary
- How Family Trusts Work
- The anatomy of a trust
- Standard provisions
- Bespoke provisions
- Trustee discretion – exercise and challenges
- Trust administration
- Vesting
- Why Use Family Trusts
- Asset protection
- Taxation benefits
- When You Have to Change a Family Trust
- Variation powers
- Resettlements
- Bringing It All Together
- Analysis of a sample Family Trust Deed
- Trust administration checklist
- Critical cases
- Relevant legislation
10.00am to 10.15am Break
10.15am to 12.30pm Part Two: Family Trust Considerations
- Family Trusts and Estate Planning
- Trust Control
- Succession of Trust control – Deed based v Will based
- Equalisation clauses and adjustments – getting it right
- Bespoke trust provisions
- Sample clauses
- Advanced Family Trust Administration
- UPES
- Family Trust Elections
- Case studies and relevant cases
- Family Trusts and Family Law
- Property and resources
- Family law strategies
- Case studies and relevant cases
11.15am to 11.30am: Break (15 mins)
- Family Trusts and Centrelink
- Asset test
- Income test
- Excluding beneficiaries
- Alternatives
- An Introduction to Trust Taxation
- Present entitlement
- Specific entitlement
- Non-residence issues
- Case studies and relevant case
- Impact of recent budget announcements
- Summary
- Review of key Family Trust concepts
- Detailed case study analysis
Presented by Greg Russo, Principal, Greg Russo Law; Accredited Specialist in Wills and Estates; Recommended Wills & Estates Litigation Lawyer and Recommended Wills, Estates & Succession Planning Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2025
Presenters
Greg Russo, Principal Solicitor, Greg Russo Law
Greg Russo has almost 30 years’ experience in succession planning, administration and litigation and is one of Victoria’s most experienced and respected succession law solicitors. Greg is an LIV Wills & Estates Accredited Specialist, a chairperson of the LIV Specialist Accreditation Education Advisory Committee, a board member of the Mount Eliza Community Bank, a member of STEP, and is recognised in Doyle’s Guide, in Victoria, as a Leading Wills and Estates Litigation Lawyer and a Leading Wills, Estates and Succession Planning Lawyer. With a background in pure mathematics, Greg not only understands the implications of planning decisions on future taxation, SMSF, trust and estate administration, he is also able to break down complex concepts and structures logically and explain options to clients in a way that empowers them to take positive action and ownership for their decisions. Greg teaches both mathematics and law, regularly presents CPD succession events to solicitors, accountants and other professionals in Victoria, Queensland, and online.
