What is included and what is not
Included
- Family holding company constitution or articles with share classes (voting, non-voting, income) selected at intake
- Family shareholders' agreement covering succession, transfers within the family, dividend policy, family employment and dispute resolution
- Discretionary trust deed (settlor, trustee, protector, beneficiaries, powers and letter of wishes template) in the common law jurisdictions and Malta; a holding-company-only set for Japan and Taiwan
- Family charter or constitution setting out values, decision-making, family council and information rights (non-binding, with the binding provisions cross-referred)
- Appointment documents for trustee and protector, and the trustee's resolutions accepting the trust and the shares
- Board and shareholder resolutions for the holding company
- Review and sign-off by a lawyer admitted in the jurisdiction
- Two rounds of amendments after the family's review
Not included
- Tax, estate duty, inheritance and succession advice (the family's tax and private client advisers)
- Wills and powers of attorney for family members (quoted separately with the partner firm)
- Trustee services, protector services and trust registration fees (GoGoTrust or a licensed trust company)
- Transfer of underlying assets into the structure beyond the holding company's shares
- Regulatory licensing where the structure holds regulated businesses
Review levels
- Drafted on the LegalMatrix workflow from the approved clause library and your intake answers
- Checked by the LegalMatrix legal team for consistency and completeness
- Delivered as an editable document with a clause-by-clause note
- Document preparation: no lawyer sign-off, no legal advice
- A lawyer admitted where the document will be used reviews, revises and signs off
- Enforceability check for that jurisdiction: governing law, formalities, mandatory rules
- Reviewer's name, admission and date on the document; 20-minute call included
- Covered by the practising entity's professional indemnity
Counterparty Contract Review, the Negotiation Playbook and the Successor Programme Document Set include lawyer review in the price. IP filings are made by registered practitioners and are not offered without one.
Who it is for
For
- Founders consolidating operating companies under a family holding company
- Families admitting the next generation to ownership with conditions
- Family offices needing documents that a bank, trustee or regulator will accept
Not for
- Structures designed to conceal ownership from authorities; beneficial ownership is reported where the law requires
- Families without agreement on the basic allocation of control and economics; the intake process will stall
- Charitable or purpose trusts (quoted separately)
What the document does
Clause summaries. The product delivers the drafted and reviewed document, not a template.
How it runs
Intake
A structured family questionnaire, a two-hour intake meeting and a review of the existing group chart capture the family's objectives, who controls what, succession intentions, and the jurisdiction. The family's tax adviser joins for the structure confirmation.
First draft
The LegalMatrix workflow produces the constitution, shareholders' agreement, trust deed (where applicable), family charter and appointment documents, with a plain-language summary for family members.
Professional review
A lawyer admitted in the jurisdiction reviews the structure against company, trust and succession law, forced heirship and beneficial ownership rules, and signs off.
Signature
After two rounds of amendments, signature-ready documents are issued with a settlement sequence: trust first, then holding company resolutions, then share transfers and adherence.
Record update
GoGoTrust updates the register of members, beneficial ownership filings and the trust records, and takes over annual administration of the holding company where engaged.
A lawyer admitted in the jurisdiction reviews and signs off every document before release. Tax and succession positions are confirmed by the family's own tax and private client advisers, who are invited to the intake meeting.
Price by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | Price | With lawyer sign-off |
|---|---|---|
| Singapore | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| Hong Kong | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| Japan | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| Taiwan | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| United States | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| Canada | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| Australia | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| New Zealand | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| United Kingdom | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
| Malta | US$12,000 | US$15,600 |
Questions
Trust or holding company?
Often both: the holding company owns the operating businesses and the trust owns the holding company. A company alone gives control and dividend mechanics; a trust adds succession without probate and discretionary distribution. See the guide on trusts versus holding companies for families.
Which jurisdictions can hold the trust?
Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Malta recognise private trusts and the product includes the deed there. For Japan and Taiwan the product delivers the holding company documents, and a trust in another jurisdiction can sit above.
Is the family charter legally binding?
By default no. It records values and processes, and the binding rules are placed in the shareholders' agreement and constitution, with cross-references so the documents work together.
Who should be trustee?
A licensed trust company or a private trust company owned by the family, depending on the jurisdiction and the family's appetite for administration. GoGoTrust can act or arrange a licensed trustee.
Will the structure be reported to a beneficial ownership register?
Yes where the law requires: for example the controllers register in Singapore, the significant controllers register in Hong Kong, the PSC register in the United Kingdom and the Malta Business Registry. The documents are drafted on that basis.
What if the family cannot agree?
The intake stage is designed to surface disagreement before drafting. If the basic allocation of control and economics is unresolved, the product pauses and LegalMatrix can refer the family to a facilitator.