Families & Wealth

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Our scope is designing solutions for asset protection, estate & succession planning, the protection of vulnerable family members and the continuation of family wealth and values across generations.

Our Families and Wealth Expertise in Malta and Cyprus

Our firm is well aware of the challenges which family businesses have to face, however, these have proven to be resilient in the face of a global financial crisis. Managing internal matters, that is striking a balance between business and family life, and providing for the continuation of the business from one generation to the next often end up being the greatest hurdles for family businesses. Our firm understands this and works closely with various HNW family businesses to understand their succession, philanthropic and estate planning objectives and advice them on a comprehensive structure for their family wealth and business interests in a sustainable legal and tax optimised manner.

TEP Admin

Trusts, settlements and foundations which are established in Malta and Cyprus are fundamental and at the core of tax planning, asset protection and the long-term preservation of family-owned businesses. Chetcuti Cauchi provides advice on the founding and administration of Maltese and Cypriot trusts, foundations, associations and other asset holding, asset management and asset preservation vehicles in Malta and Cyprus. We also provide holistic support and advisory services in a variety of disciplines, such as international law, tax and finance, serving as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for all our clients’ needs.

Trusts Law

Very often, a trust can prove to be the most efficient and flexible means to provide for the protection and management of family assets. Chetcuti Cauchi offers trusts and fiduciary service in Malta and Cyprus through its wholly-owned trust company, Claris Trustees and Fiduciaries Ltd, licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority. Claris Trustees stands as one of the most prominent Trusts Companies in Malta due to our team's meticulous attention to quality, integrity and confidentiality.

Our main aim as trustees is to ensure utmost good care when dealing with the administration of all the property setlled under trust for the ultimate benefit of the trust’s beneficiaries, typically future generations. We also advice families in the setting up of family investment and co-investment platforms, as well as implementing listing and exit strategies.

We ensure that the client’s wishes are respected while carrying out the necessary due diligence procedures and maintaining legal compliance throughout the life of the trust. We have a wealth of experience in the drafting of trust instruments tailor-made in such a way to suit the client’s needs and endeavor to assess and discuss all the implications of settling a property under a trust transparent to our clients. This also includes any tax or accounting requirements which are tackled by our qualified accountants and tax advisors who have long-standing experience in their respective fields.

Our Trusts Law and Fiduciary Services Team

Our Trusts and Fiduciary Services team is composed of lawyers, accountants, financial advisors and trusts administrators whose skills and experience blend together into a strategic mix of expertise in order to offer fully comprehensive advice, thus ensuring the smooth running of a high-calibre trust operation while maintaining the level of a personalised service that our clients expect.

Opportunities for International Families

On an international sphere, Malta and Cyprus present a very family-friendly environment for business governance and wealth management, coupled with a legal framework and a professional infrastructure for the management of trusts and companies. One finds that the Trusts and Trustees Act and Malta’s law on foundations provide flexible tools for asset protection and the running of family businesses on an international scale.

Malta’s favorable taxation system includes the absence of withholding taxes on dividends, royalties and interests, as well as tax exemptions for dividend income and capital gains arising on the transfer of participating holdings. A similar exemption also applies to stamp duty otherwise applicable on the acquisition of shares in Maltese companies.

Our Voluntary & Charitable Industry

We also provide the means for family philanthropists who seek to make a positive difference in the world. We advice such HNW and successful families which are the most tax-efficient means to maximize the value of their charitable investments. Our charitable and voluntary industry group  in Malta and Cyprus provides assistance in relation to the registration, compliance and accountancy processes of operating as a voluntary organization as well as legal, administrative and financial advice on the day to day running of the organization. 

 

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