At Helio Trusts, we have just one objective in mind. And that’s to make sure all aspects of your Trust are expertly managed, so that your goals can be your reality.
Today. Tomorrow. And beyond.
We believe your Trust should be viewed as a living asset, and not something to be tucked away in the bottom drawer in the belief that it will always provide what you intended, to those you intended.
The world of Trust Law is forever evolving and keeping up with the myriad of legal obligations you face as a Trustee can be overwhelming. So too can other compliance and administrative considerations important to upholding the integrity of your Trust. When the management of your Trust is under the one watchful eye you can focus on re-evaluating and resetting your goals, in the knowledge that the very best management practices are in place to enable your success.
We also believe that two or more heads are better than one. When those whose opinions you value the most work together, and not in isolation, then opportunities are identified, risks mitigated and the resilience of your Trust reinforced.
By involving key Advisors and Trustees in decision-making, we adopt a collaborative approach to the ongoing management of your Trust. With the heightened expertise and insight that this brings, the potential of your Trust can be optimised, your intentions respected and your wealth preserved.
Our focus is to ensure that your Trust is professionally and effectively managed against your short, medium and long-term objectives and that it is compliant within the ever-evolving realm of NZ Trust Law.
Realising your goals and aspirations must begin with ensuring the right systems, processes and safeguards are in place to protect both your wealth and those you wish to benefit from it.
Whether your situation is simple or complex, our starting point is to ask three simple questions:
From here, we identify what T’s need to be crossed and I’s dotted in order to mitigate any risk to the integrity of your Trust, or liability associated with Trusteeship and to create an environment in which you and your most valued Advisors can deliver the objectives set for it and optimise its potential.
Then it’s about regular and disciplined review, involving you and your Advisors, and the facilitation of actions that will ensure the delivery of your goals remain on-track and new goals and changes in circumstance can be readily accommodated.
In line with the importance we place on working collaboratively, we have developed an online platform for the delivery of our management services. Not only do clients have access to all the information and documentation pertaining to their Trust via a secure and personalised portal, it provides an interactive platform for decision making among Trustees and Advisors.
At the heart of Helio are our people. They are experts in Trust management, and navigating a way through the complexities and nuances of this ever changing world.
As General Manager, Tania is responsible for the provision of business development, governance and compliance support to the business. Tania understands the legal responsibilities of trustees and trust managers and the requirements for how trusts should be managed in New Zealand.
Tania was formerly a Partner in the Cayman Islands’ office of Conyers Dill & Pearman, a premier global offshore law firm, practicing a wide range of corporate, investment fund, insurance and trust related law. Tania also assisted with the operation of Conyers’ sister trust and corporate services company, Codan Trust Company (Cayman) Limited. Tania’s clients included FTSE 100 and Fortune 500 companies, international finance houses and managers and high net worth individuals from around the globe. Tania has also previously practised law in New Zealand at Anderson Lloyd and Russell McVeagh.
Tania has been recommended as a leading lawyer in Chambers Global and IFLR1000 where it was noted that Tania is "…very knowledgeable and responsive, understands the issues and is a real expert in her field."
As part of the Helio team, Kate’s role is to assist clients in a timely, cost effective manner with their trust management. Her expertise in estates, elder and trust law supports clients to have an active part in determining their trust’s direction. Kate has worked in the legal profession for eight years and qualified in 2014 as a registered Legal Executive.
As Senior Trust Manager, Kirsten is responsible for assisting clients with their trust management including trust reviews, governance and compliance and ongoing relationship management.
With over 20 years’ experience as a Legal Secretary for various Christchurch law firms, Kirsten brings her knowledge of trusts and estates to her role with Helio.
Kirsten.Reekie@heliotrusts.co.nz
+64 3 3530721
+64 22 657 3828
Wiki is responsible for assisting clients with their ongoing trust management needs, including holding annual trustee meetings, document preparation and review and general governance matters. Previously, Wiki worked as an Executive Legal Secretary for a global offshore law firm, working closely with its sister trust management company on corporate and trust related matters. She has also held positions in major international law firms in London and Melbourne.
A Bill to make trust law easier to access and understand has been introduced to Parliament today by Justice Minister Amy Adams.
The Trusts Bill will update and replace the Trustee Act 1956, making it the first significant change in New Zealand’s trust law in over 60 years.
“Trusts are an essential part of our legal system, with around 300,000 to 500,000 trusts operating in New Zealand today. For an area of law that is so well used, the Trustee Act 1956 is out of date and in need of a refresh,” says Ms Adams.
A Trust Bill has been drafted that has implications for Trusts, Trustees and Trust Advisers, and for the way a Trust would need to be run in the future. Anyone involved in a Trust will have specific legal responsibilities. If these responsibilities are not fulfilled, then the integrity of the Trust is likely to be undermined and the Trustees will be exposed to liability.
The draft Bill has been put out for public consultation. The Bill will form the Trusts Act when it passes into law and is likely to come into effect six months after the law is passed.
The overriding purpose of the Bill is to restate and reform New Zealand Trust Law by:
However, this Act will not be an exhaustive code of the law relating to Trusts. The Act complements, and is informed by, the rules of common law and equity relating to Trusts (except where otherwise indicated or where those rules are inconsistent with the provisions of the Act).
When astutely managed, a Trust provides a valuable vehicle to deliver your personal and financial goals and to protect intergenerational wealth and assets.
Helio Trusts is a partnership between Tavendale and Partners Ltd and Perpetual Guardian. The combined expertise of these two firms brings a rigour to Helio Trusts that ensures both management and compliance requirements of your Trust are proactively taken care of.
Helio is all about making sure that your Trust remains relevant, compliant and realises its maximum potential. Collaborative and transparent decision-making is central to delivering on this commitment.
With the pending changes in NZ Trust law, you shouldn’t assume that everything is in order. Our emphasis is on the effective management of your Trust to protect its intended purpose and its compliance with the law.
Trust management is not a static exercise. It is critically important to be regularly monitoring your Trust against the objectives you’ve set for it. If things are not on track, seek some professional help. The three questions everyone who has a Trust or who is a Trustee should be asking themselves is:
Anyone who has an existing Trust or Trusts.
Fees for our Trust management services are determined on an individual basis and in accordance with the complexity of your Trust or Trusts.
We work on a ‘no surprises’ basis, so we always discuss and agree on the most appropriate fee structure for your situation in advance.
As a Trust management company, Helio works alongside all your professional Advisors to ensure the very best outcomes for you.
No. As a trust management company, Helio cannot provide regulated legal services. All legal matters associated with your Trust must be handled by a practising lawyers.
Helio Trusts uses SSL certificates similar to internet banking to securely encrypt all information transferred between authorised users and the Helio portal. Additionally, information stored on Helio servers is “encrypted at rest”, which means stored data is saved in a naturally encrypted state even when not moving between the portal and the user.
