Declarations of Trust

This easy to use, “how-to” guide for the general practitioner shows how to use declarations of trusts to protect clients’ interests. It deals with all situations where a declaration of trust can be used – such as property purchases, wills, insurance policies and company shareholdings – giving step-by-step drafting guidance.

Declarations of Trust:

• Explains the role of a declaration of trust, when it should be used and what it can achieve
• Covers the full range of transactions where a declaration of trust can be useful, including property purchases, joint tenancies and company shareholdings
• Organised transaction-by-transaction so practitioners can go straight to the advice they need
• Each chapter contains a short, clear narrative explaining the key issues
• Contains a whole host of precedents which can easily be adapted to the situation in hand
• Features all the precedents on a CD-ROM to aid rapid drafting
• Reproduces Land Registry forms completed as each situation requires
• Covers tax issues to be considered when using declarations of trust
• Gives guidance on recent property and tax legislation, including abolition of the presumption of advancement (Equality Act 2010), changes to the pensions regime in successive Finance Acts, and changes to the Capital Gains Tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax regimes
• Explains the impact of important recent case law in areas such as constructive trusts (Jones v Kernott), severance of joint tenancies (Davis and Anor v Smith), secret/half secret trusts (Execs of Lucian Freud v Paul McAdam Freud) and mutual wills (Charles v Fraser)

HIGHLIGHTS COVERED IN THIS NEW EDITION:

• Abolition of the presumption of advancement (Equality Act 2010)
• Developments in the law relating to constructive trusts (see especially Jones v Kernott [2011] UK SC 53)
• Changes to the Pensions regime in FA 2011, FA 2014 and forthcoming 2015 changes
• Miscellaneous minor changes to tax rules eg CGT annual exemption and rules for main residence regime, SDLT rates and thresholds etc
• Case law on severance of joint tenancies (Davis and Anor v Smith [2011] EWCA Civ 1603)
• Case law on secret/half secret trusts (Execs of Lucian Freud v Paul McAdam Freud 2014 EWHC 2577(Ch)
• Case law on mutual wills - Charles v Fraser EWHC Civ 2154 Ch

Preface
Table of Cases
Table of Statutes
Table of Instruments

1. General principles
a. Introduction
b. The certainties of a trust
c. Resulting trusts and presumption of advancement
d. Insolvency
e. Matrimonial and Inheritance Act proceedings
f. Legal title
g. Trusts of land
h. Tax
i. Parties to the declaration
j. Registered and unregistered land

2. Property purchased as tenants in common
a. Introduction
b. The legal title
c. The contents of the declaration
d. Death of a tenant in common
e. Continuing residence of the survivor
f. Steps to be taken
g. Precedents

3. Property purchased by beneficial joint tenants. Subsequent adjustments of interests.
a. Introduction
b. Severance
c. The shares of the former joint tenants following severance
d. Contents of the declaration
e. Restrictions on the appointment of new trustees
f. Steps to be taken
g. Precedents

4. Legal owner of dwellinghouse holding for another (or for self and another)
a. Introduction
b. Nominee conveyance
c. The council house
d. Recognition of another’s contribution
e. Transfer of entire beneficial ownership
f. Steps to be taken
g. Precedents

5. Insurance policies
a. Introduction
b. The contents of the declaration of trust/assignment
c. Pension Death Benefits
d. Steps to be taken following the declaration
e. Precedents

6. Company shareholdings
a. Introduction
b. Shares in the subsidiary
c. The nominee/trustee shareholder
d. Settlement provisions
e. Additional matters
f. Precedents

7. Invisible assets
a. Introduction
b. Declaration of trust of chattels
c. Declaration of trust of part of a debt
d. Steps to be taken
e. Precedents

8. In conjunction with wills – the half secret trust
a. Introduction
b. The reason for a half secret trust
c. The requirements of a half secret trust
d. Inheritance tax
e. Mutual wills
f. Steps to be taken
Precedent