Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the trust establishment, including banking and payment rails.
Set up a trust in Jersey.
The benchmark trust jurisdiction: the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 - the statute other jurisdictions copy - administered by trust company businesses registered with the JFSC under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 and bound by a published Code of Practice. Where families put structures they expect to outlive them.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Jersey in brief
The statute the others were modelled on.
The Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 is the reference text of the modern offshore trust. It codified English trust principles for a jurisdiction that intended to administer wealth professionally, and it has been amended repeatedly since to keep pace - firewall provisions against foreign judgments, reserved powers for settlors, and the flexibility that private-client practice actually needs. Trusts themselves are not registered or licensed. What Jersey regulates rigorously is the business of being a trustee: trust company business is registered with the JFSC under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998, subject to a published Trust Company Business Code of Practice, ongoing supervision and personal accountability for the people running it.
The commercial case is depth and durability. Jersey's fiduciary industry is measured in decades and staffed by professionals whose careers are trusts, not a sideline of a company-formation business. Courts have a body of trust case law that means questions get answered rather than argued, and international banks and private banks work with Jersey structures as a matter of routine. It is not the cheapest option and does not pretend to be. For families with assets that justify institutional administration, and for structures that must still work in thirty years, Jersey is the standard against which the alternatives are measured. We design the structure and place it with the right trustee.
The reference jurisdiction: the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 with firewall provisions and reserved powers, administered by trust company businesses registered with the JFSC under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 and bound by a published Code of Practice.
Decades of case law, institutional trustees and banking that works without explanation. Not cheap - chosen when the structure must still function in thirty years.
The two builds
The private trust - or the family structure with its own trustee.
Most families use a licensed professional trustee. Larger ones establish a private trust company. We advise on which, and build either.
The trust with a professional trustee - or a private trust company.
01 - JERSEY TRUST
The core structure
A trust established under the 1984 Law with a JFSC-registered trust company business as trustee. The standard, institutional route for family wealth.
A trust established under the 1984 Law with a JFSC-registered trust company business as trustee. The standard, institutional route for family wealth.
- ✓Established by trust deed
- ✓Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984
- ✓JFSC-registered trustee
- ✓Reserved powers where wanted
- ✓Firewall provisions apply
- ✓Code of Practice governs conduct
02 - PRIVATE TRUST COMPANY
The family's own trustee
A dedicated company acting as trustee of the family's trusts, administered by a licensed provider. Control and continuity for families whose structures justify the cost.
A family-owned trustee company administered by a licensed provider. Control and continuity for structures that justify the governance.
- ✓Family-owned trustee company
- ✓Administered by a licensed business
- ✓Board reflecting family and advisers
- ✓Continuity across generations
- ✓Multiple trusts under one trustee
- ✓Regulatory position confirmed at set-up
Trust company business classes, registration requirements and financial resources are confirmed against the JFSC's current requirements at the time of set-up.
Why Jersey
Six reasons families choose Jersey.
✓
The reference statute
The 1984 Law is what other jurisdictions modelled themselves on, and it has been kept current ever since.Others copied it.
✓
Case law that answers questions
Decades of trust litigation mean the difficult questions already have judicial answers rather than opinions.Questions have answers.
✓
Institutional trustees
Trust company business is a registered, supervised activity under a published Code of Practice, not an unregulated sideline.Registered, supervised.
✓
Firewall provisions
The Law addresses foreign judgments and forced heirship directly. Protection written into the statute, not improvised.Protection in statute.
✓
Banking that just works
Private banks and custodians handle Jersey structures routinely - no explaining, no onboarding archaeology.No explaining.
✓
Built to outlast the settlor
The whole industry is organised around structures that must function long after the person who created them.Thirty-year thinking.
How it compares
How Jersey differs from other trust jurisdictions.
The comparison in plain terms: the highest standard and the highest cost. Chosen when durability matters more than price.
Jersey vs other trust jurisdictions
| Feature |  Jersey | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Statute | Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 | Later laws modelled on it |
| Trustee regulation | Registered TCB under FS(J)L 1998 | Licensed fiduciaries |
| Case law | Decades of decisions | Thinner |
| Cost | Institutional | Mediterranean to Caribbean |
Statute
JerseyTrusts (Jersey) Law 1984
Other jurisdictionsLater laws modelled on it
Trustee regulation
JerseyRegistered TCB under FS(J)L 1998
Other jurisdictionsLicensed fiduciaries
Case law
JerseyDecades of decisions
Other jurisdictionsThinner
Cost
JerseyInstitutional
Other jurisdictionsMediterranean to Caribbean
Country by country
| Country | Instrument | Trustee regulation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jersey | Jersey trust - 1984 Law | JFSC trust company business | The benchmark |
 Guernsey | Guernsey trust | GFSC fiduciary licence | 56-day licence decision |
 Cyprus | International trust | CySEC-regulated ASPs | EU member state |
 BVI | VISTA trust - 2003 Act | Licensed BVI trustee | Holds BVI company shares |
JerseyInstrumentJersey trust - 1984 Law
Trustee regulationJFSC trust company business
NotesThe benchmark
GuernseyInstrumentGuernsey trust
Trustee regulationGFSC fiduciary licence
Notes56-day licence decision
CyprusInstrumentInternational trust
Trustee regulationCySEC-regulated ASPs
NotesEU member state
BVIInstrumentVISTA trust - 2003 Act
Trustee regulationLicensed BVI trustee
NotesHolds BVI company shares
Before you establish
What a Jersey trust actually requires.What establishment requires.
The instrument is a deed; the standard around it is institutional. The checklist below is what a sound establishment covers.
01
Trust deed. Drafted under the 1984 Law to the family's actual succession intention.
02
Trustee. A trust company business registered with the JFSC, selected on fit rather than on fee alone.
03
Reserved powers. Taken where wanted and drafted within what the Law and good practice support.
04
Beneficiary class. Defined for the family as it is and as it will become.
05
Protector or guardian. Where a check on the trustee is wanted, with drafted powers.
06
Source of wealth. Documented to institutional standard; Jersey trustees will not proceed without it.
07
Underlying structures. Holding companies and asset entities designed together with the trust.
08
Letter of wishes. Written properly, kept current, and understood as guidance rather than instruction.
09
Banking and custody. Arranged with institutions that already work with Jersey structures.
10
Tax analysis. Settlor, trust and beneficiaries modelled in every relevant residence.
11
Ongoing administration. Trustee minutes, accounts and distributions maintained to Code standard.
01
Deed under the 1984 Law.
02
JFSC-registered trustee.
03
Reserved powers drafted.
04
Beneficiary class defined.
05
Protector where wanted.
06
Source of wealth evidenced.
07
Underlying entities designed.
08
Letter of wishes current.
09
Banking and custody set.
10
Tax modelled everywhere.
11
Administration to Code.
Reflects the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 and the JFSC's trust company business framework as of 2026.Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 + JFSC framework, 2026.
How it works
From first call to a working Jersey structure.
01
Intention and map
Family, assets, residences and objectives. Including a frank view of whether Jersey's cost is justified.Clear on cost.
02
Trustee selection
Registered trust company businesses approached and matched. Fit, capability and fees compared properly.Fit and fees.
03
Drafting
Deed, letter of wishes and underlying structure drafted under the 1984 Law.Deed and wishes.
04
Establishment
Trust settled, assets transferred, source of wealth evidenced, banking opened.Settled and banked.
05
Administration
Trustee administration running to Code standard. The structure maintained, not just created.Maintained to Code.
Quick facts
InstrumentJersey trust
StatuteTrusts (Jersey) Law 1984
Trustee lawFS(J)L 1998
RegulatorJFSC
ConductTCB Code of Practice
Private trust companyAvailable for larger families
EstablishmentWeeks once documented
Cost levelInstitutional
Jersey trustees decline more business than they accept. Source-of-wealth documentation is the gate. We prepare it before approaching anyone.
On the ground in Jersey
Run from our St Helier desk.
Prifinance - Jersey
St Helier · Jersey
St Helier, Jersey
01
Structure design
Whether a Jersey trust is the right instrument at all, and what should sit under it.Is Jersey justified?
02
Trustee selection
The JFSC-registered trust company matched to the family's size, assets and expectations.Compared, not referred.
03
Drafting and establishment
The deed, letter of wishes and underlying entities prepared as one package.One package.
04
Banking and continuity
Accounts, custody and the succession mechanics that make the structure durable.Durability built in.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
Dubai
UAE
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of Jersey trusts.
Jersey's own position is straightforward; the analysis that matters is everywhere the family lives.
Jersey's own treatment
Jersey does not tax non-resident beneficiaries on foreign-source trust income. The local position is confirmed per structure.Straightforward, confirmed.
Residence drives everything
Settlor and beneficiary residence determines the real tax outcome far more than the trust's location does.Where families live.
Anti-avoidance rules abroad
Most developed countries have settlor-attribution and beneficiary-charging rules. The design has to account for them explicitly.Designed around.
Reporting obligations
Automatic exchange applies; Jersey structures are built to be reported correctly rather than to avoid reporting.Correct, not avoided.
The corporate layer
Underlying holding companies carry their own residence and substance questions. Designed with the trust.Substance questions.
Modelled before signing
We involve advisers in each relevant residence before the deed is executed, not after the first tax return.Advisers involved early.
Tax summary
Jersey positionConfirmed per structure
Decisive factorSettlor and beneficiary residence
Anti-avoidanceAddressed in design
ReportingAutomatic exchange applies
Planning levelEvery relevant country
*Position as of 2026. Cross-border outcomes are modelled with advisers in each relevant residence before establishment.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: Jersey structure, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a working trust.
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Jersey · Trusts Law 1984
Set up your Jersey trust with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from structure design and trustee selection to drafting, establishment and banking - run through our Jersey desk.
Get a consultation →Free legal opinion
Is a Jersey trust right for your family?
Our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, structure, or route fits your situation.
Written assessment within 2-5 business days
Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Jersey trust - the questions we hear.
What law governs Jersey trusts?+
The Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984, amended repeatedly since - the statute most modern trust jurisdictions were modelled on, covering trustee duties, settlor reserved powers and firewall provisions against foreign judgments.
Is the trust registered or licensed?+
The trust itself is not. What is regulated is the trustee: trust company business is registered with the JFSC under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998 and governed by a published Trust Company Business Code of Practice.
What are firewall provisions?+
Statutory rules addressing how Jersey courts treat foreign judgments and forced-heirship claims against Jersey trusts. They are a principal reason families choose the jurisdiction - protection written into the Law rather than argued case by case.
Can the settlor reserve powers?+
Yes, within what the Law and sound practice support. Over-reservation undermines the trust in exactly the situations it exists for, so the drafting matters more than the wish list.
What is a private trust company?+
A company owned by or for the family that acts as trustee of the family's trusts, administered by a licensed provider. It gives control and continuity, and suits families whose structures justify the additional cost and governance.
Why is Jersey more expensive?+
Because the administration is institutional: regulated trustees, professional staff, real governance and decades of case law behind the instrument. Families pay for a structure that still works when it is finally tested.
How long does establishment take?+
Weeks once the source-of-wealth documentation is ready. That documentation, not the drafting, is what usually sets the timeline - Jersey trustees decline business they cannot verify.
How are Jersey trusts taxed?+
Jersey's own treatment is straightforward and confirmed per structure, but settlor and beneficiary residence drives the real outcome. We model every relevant country before the deed is signed.
Jersey or Guernsey?+
Both are top-tier Crown Dependency jurisdictions with mature fiduciary industries. Guernsey's licence process has a published 56-day decision target for primary licences; Jersey has the reference statute and the deepest case law. Trustee fit usually decides - we approach both.
Why Prifinance for Jersey?+
Frank advice on whether Jersey is justified for your case, trustee selection run as a comparison rather than a referral, and source-of-wealth documentation prepared before anyone is approached.
What law?+
Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984.
Registered?+
The trustee is.
Firewall?+
Foreign judgments addressed.
Reserved powers?+
Within the Law.
Private trust co?+
For larger families.
Why costly?+
Institutional administration.
How long?+
Weeks once documented.
Taxes?+
Residence decides.
Or Guernsey?+
Trustee fit decides.
Why you?+
Comparison, not referral.
Client notes
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Founders who wanted it done right.
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Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of JFSC or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.