New Hampshire trust cost has three parts: the trustee's set-up work, the law firm's drafting and third-party charges, then yearly administration fees. We publish the set-up fee for a standard trust or foundation in New Hampshire on this page; annual administration, event-based work and third-party charges are quoted after we review your case.
The set-up fee for a New Hampshire (USA) trust is shown under the key facts. The other groups of cost depend on the structure and are quoted after we review your case.
Set-up
Structure design and onboarding checks
Trust deed drafting by the law firm
Trustee acceptance and account opening
Ongoing
Annual trustee fee
Accounting, minutes and records
Reporting to authorities
Third party
Bank and custodian charges
Tax and legal advice in other countries
Registry or stamp duty where it applies
Key facts
Governing law
Settlor's interest in an irrevocable spendthrift trust: RSA 564-B:5-505A[1]
Protector
The trust code provides for trust advisors and trust protectors[2]
Registration
A foundation is formed by a certificate filed with the Secretary of State[3]
Numbers in brackets point to the Sources list at the end of this page.
Set-up fee
Standard trust
USD 14,000
Trust set-up in New Hampshire (USA): the fee is fixed for the standard scope listed below.
Includes
Client onboarding, KYC and due diligence
Structure design
Trust deed or foundation charter drafted through a partner law firm
Acceptance of trusteeship by a local partner trustee, coordinated by One Pacific Trust
Filing of any registration the law requires
Excludes
Government fees, initial and annual (passed through at cost)
Stamp duty
Holding or underlying companies
Bank account opening
Tax advice in other countries
Annual trustee, administration and event fees (quoted separately)
VAT or GST where applicable
Standard foundation
USD 17,000
Foundation set-up in New Hampshire (USA): the fee is fixed for the standard scope listed below.
Includes
Client onboarding, KYC and due diligence
Structure design
Trust deed or foundation charter drafted through a partner law firm
Acceptance of trusteeship by a local partner trustee, coordinated by One Pacific Trust
Filing of any registration the law requires
Excludes
Government fees, initial and annual (passed through at cost)
Stamp duty
Holding or underlying companies
Bank account opening
Tax advice in other countries
Annual trustee, administration and event fees (quoted separately)
VAT or GST where applicable
This fee includes the local partner trustee's acceptance fee as agreed with One Pacific Trust.
Set-up fees shown are One Pacific Trust fees in US dollars for the standard scope described, before government, registry, bank and other third-party charges, which are passed through at cost or billed to you directly.
Annual administration, event-based work and anything outside the standard scope are quoted after we review your case.
A published fee is not an offer and is not tax or legal advice; the terms that apply are those set out in writing when you engage us.
What a New Hampshire trust costs
Illustration, not a real client.
There is no single total cost. In New Hampshire the deed usually involves an irrevocable spendthrift trust and often a trust advisor or protector, so the total follows how many offices the deed creates.
Set-up costs: what they cover
Set-up costs cover the work done once, from the first checks to the first transfer.
Identity and wealth checks. On the settlor and on each office holder with a power over the trustee.
Choice of form. Deciding with the New Hampshire lawyer whether the assets sit in an irrevocable spendthrift trust, or in a foundation formed by filing a certificate.
Office design. Writing down what a trust advisor and a protector may do, and what stays with the trustee.
Acceptance of office. A trustee resolution to take the role, and a new trust file.
Asset transfer. An account is opened for the trust and each asset is re-registered to the trustee.
A trust with a trustee alone is quick to design. One that adds an advisor, a protector and a settlor veto needs a clause for each. The set-up guide shows the order.
Ongoing trustee and administration costs
Ongoing costs cover the trust’s yearly running. Typical inclusions in the fee:
title to the assets, held by the trustee for the trust;
minutes that show whether a decision came from the trustee or from a trust advisor;
yearly accounts with an asset statement;
fresh identity checks when the risk review calls for them;
Some work is charged when it happens: a change of office holder, a deed amendment, or a move of the trust to another trustee.
A distribution needing extra review is billed when it arises, and out-of-scope work is billed on time spent.
Third-party costs
Other firms charge for their own work. Their charges are either passed through at cost or sent to you directly.
Item
Provider
Timing
Deed with spendthrift clause, and letter of wishes
New Hampshire trust lawyer
At set-up, and on amendment
Filing and upkeep of a foundation, if one is used
Lawyer or corporate provider
At set-up, then yearly
Your tax adviser’s review at home
Your tax adviser
Before signing
Investment management
Investment manager
Ongoing
Custodian and account charges
Bank or custodian
Ongoing
Basis: our New Hampshire enquiry questions, checked 2026-11-05.
The law and features page sets out how the statute treats advisors, protectors and the settlor’s own powers.
What changes the total
The five biggest drivers of a New Hampshire total:
Trust or foundation. A foundation adds a filing with the Secretary of State and a different set of documents.
Advisors and protectors. Each office adds drafting and one more party in every decision.
Value band. Higher bands of asset value carry more reporting, and the yearly fee reflects that.
Kinds of assets. Cash and listed securities move quickly; land or a family company needs title papers and valuations.
Countries involved. Beneficiaries abroad add checks and local advice.
When estimates differ, read what each fee includes before looking at the headline, and ask for the assumptions in writing.
Why the total cannot be fixed in advance
Beyond the published set-up fee, a fixed total would hide the choices that drive the work. Whether a deed has a trust advisor, a protector, both or neither can double the drafting.
Assets play the same part, which is why every estimate beyond the set-up fee starts from questions. Shares in a private company need ownership papers and valuations that a bank balance does not.
How to get a quote
You answer a short set of questions: the form you prefer, the offices you want, the value band, the kinds of assets and the countries connected.
A quote names the assumptions behind it, such as the trust type. It is not an offer, and it becomes firm once the trustee and the law firm have read your papers and set their terms in writing. Tell us what you are planning, or return to the New Hampshire overview.
Frequently asked questions
What do I pay for when I set up a trust in New Hampshire?
The main set-up items are the checks, a deed with a spendthrift clause drafted by a New Hampshire lawyer, and one clause for each office the deed creates, such as a trust advisor or protector. A foundation adds a certificate filed with the Secretary of State. A quote lists each item.
Are there ongoing costs for a trust in New Hampshire?
Yes. The yearly fee covers holding the assets, accounts and records, including minutes showing whether a decision came from the trustee or a trust advisor. A change of office holder, a deed amendment or a move to another trustee is charged when it happens. Bank and custody charges are billed separately.
Pick a question for a short answer from our FAQ. Nothing you choose here is sent anywhere. This is a scripted guide from our FAQ, not live chat and not advice.
Setting up, the law and tax
What happens, step by step, when you set up an offshore trust?
First agree the purpose and who should benefit. Your lawyer drafts the deed under the chosen law while the trustee checks identity and the source of the assets. After signing, the assets move into the trustee’s name and are recorded. The guide shows each stage in more detail.
Usually the owner transfers the shares or membership interest to the trustee under the deed, after checking the company’s own documents and any consent a lender or partner must give. The trustee then holds the interest and the company carries on. Company, tax and local law checks come first, so involve your lawyer.
Yes, in the places whose law provides for them. A trust needs a lawful purpose, a valid deed under its governing law, and taxes and reporting dealt with where the people involved live. It cannot be used to hide assets, defeat existing creditors or evade tax. A trustee will refuse a trust whose purpose or funding it cannot confirm.
It depends on where the settlor, the beneficiaries, the trustee and the assets are, and on the law that governs the trust. Many countries tax trust income or distributions in the hands of the people they treat as owners or recipients, and exchange account data under international reporting rules. We do not give tax advice, so ask your own adviser before you sign.
How long does it take to appoint a Hong Kong trustee?
Time depends mostly on how quickly documents arrive and on checks by banks and registries outside our control, so we do not promise a date. Once you apply, the client portal shows each step and what is outstanding, and a 30-minute call sets out what to prepare first.
The cost depends on the structure, the places and assets involved, how many parties the trustee must check, and how much work the trust needs each year. We publish the set-up fee for each place; annual administration and event-based work are quoted after we review your case. Banking, legal and registry charges outside our control can add to it.
A trustee can borrow only if the deed and the governing law allow it. A lender will usually ask to see the deed, the trustee’s authority and the purpose of the loan. Some deeds limit borrowing or need a protector’s consent. Ask a lawyer before approaching a lender.
What is asset management, and is it what a trustee does?
Asset management means running investments for a client, usually under a licence. A trustee does something different: it holds the assets, checks instructions against the deed, approves distributions and keeps the record. A bank or licensed manager that the deed allows for can run the investments.
Hong Kong
Singapore
BVI
Jersey
