Insights

Family trusts: Navigating succession, governance and taxation

This publication, “Family Trusts: A practical guide to succession, governance and tax”, distils the legal, tax and governance dimensions of private trusts into a clear, implementation-oriented roadmap for Indian families. It explains core trust concepts under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, contrasts public and private/family trusts, and unpacks key choices such as revocable versus irrevocable and determinate versus discretionary structures. Building on this foundation, the guide addresses why families are increasingly turning to trusts amidst growing business complexity, cross-border holdings, and rising disputes, and sets out validity requirements, taxation mechanics, and asset protection considerations in a concise, practitioner-friendly format.

A dedicated section on family succession trusts shows how to ring‑fence operating companies and other critical assets, design corpus schedules with differentiated distribution ratios, and align trust design with a broader family constitution and long-term succession plan.

This is a practical resource for promoters, next‑gen leaders and advisors seeking to institutionalise succession beyond wills, and to use family trusts as a strategic tool for continuity, control and compliance.

Download the detailed report below.