Wealth Management
Insights in Melbourne

A discretionary family trust can support investment and succession planning, but it does not guarantee that assets are beyond a spouse's claim on separation. For Melbourne families with relatives overseas, the trust deed can also trigger Victoria's foreign purchaser duty and absentee owner surcharge.

When parents contribute to a child's Melbourne home, document what the money is intended to do before transferring it. A gift, repayable loan and ownership contribution have different consequences. A bank's gift declaration should be consistent with the family's real arrangement.