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St Vincent and the Grenadines trust law and key features
The Trust Act is the base of St Vincent and the Grenadines trust law. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) lists it with related Acts, and its page says a protector, a person who watches over the trustee, cannot also be that trustee.
Reviewed by a senior trust administrator, updated
The legal frame at a glance
What the law provides, with the source number for each item.
Key facts
- Protector
- A protector cannot also be the trustee of the same trust[1]
- Registration
- Application includes the trust deed or deed of settlement[1]
- Trustee requirement
- Applications go through a trustee that the authority recognises[1]
Numbers in brackets point to the Sources list at the end of this page.
Swipe sideways to see the whole diagram.
- SettlorSets up the structure and transfers assets into it
- transfers assets under a trust deedTrusteeHolds the assets and manages them under the trust deed
- holds and distributesBeneficiariesPeople who benefit from the trust under its terms
- Trustee holds legal titleTrust assetsThe property held in the structure
Roles and notes
| Part of the structure | What it does |
|---|---|
| Settlor | Sets up the structure and transfers assets into it |
| Trustee | Holds the assets and manages them under the trust deed |
| Beneficiaries | People who benefit from the trust under its terms |
| Trust assets | The property held in the structure |
- The trustee makes the application to the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
- A protector is a role the deed may create, with powers the deed sets out.
- The deed names or describes the beneficiaries, and the trustee acts only within its terms.
- The trust deed or deed of settlement is attached to the application.
The governing law
The trust legislation of the islands is the Trust Act, listed with related Acts on the FSA trusts page (source: SVG FSA: Trusts).
Your lawyer confirms how the Trust Act and each point below apply to your deed. We ask your lawyer to put that advice in a short written note, so your tax adviser can read it too.
Who may act as trustee
An application to the authority is made through a trustee that the authority recognises in St Vincent and the Grenadines, as the Financial Services Authority page describes. Your lawyer confirms the exact term for your case.
You can choose other people for other roles, such as an investment adviser you appoint, subject to the deed and to local advice.
A protector cannot also be the trustee of the same trust (same source).
Features the law allows
The deed sets two features. Each is a drafting tool, not a result we promise.
- Beneficiaries. The deed names them or describes a class, such as your children.
- Protector. The deed may create the role and set its powers.
What you decide in the deed
Within the limits the Act sets, the deed carries most of the design. The points below are choices you make, not rules of law.
- Letter of wishes. You may add a separate note that guides the trustee without binding it.
- Holding company. You may have the trust own a company that holds the assets.
Duration, creditor time limits, treatment of foreign judgments and special trust types are points your lawyer confirms for your case.
Our page on wealth structuring and asset protection explains how we approach planning against claims in general.
Limits and requirements
The structure comes with conditions, and one that ignores them can fail. The main ones are these.
- Trustee. The trustee makes the application and holds the assets, so choose the trustee with care.
- Roles. Fill each role in the deed in line with the trustee rules above.
- Timing of transfers. How the timing of a transfer relates to an existing or expected claim is a point counsel examines before anything moves.
- Your home courts. A court at home may treat you as still owning assets you control, whatever the local rules say.
- Records and conduct. The trustee must act under the deed in practice, with real meetings and resolutions.
We never describe these trusts as making assets untouchable. Outcomes depend on facts and on courts we do not control.
The formation steps and documents show where these checks happen during set-up. When you are ready, you can request a quote.
Sources and review dates
The facts above carry their source and date, taken from the FSA page on trusts.
Practical questions about running the trust are covered in our plain answers to common questions. For what each part costs, see the breakdown of set-up and yearly charges. The St Vincent guide shows how the pieces fit together.
Frequently asked questions
Which law governs a trust in St Vincent?
The Trust Act, which the FSA lists with related Acts on its trusts page. Your deed also names its governing law, which sets the rules that apply to the trust. Your lawyer confirms how the Act applies to your deed.
Who may act as trustee in St Vincent?
The FSA trusts page describes an application made through a trustee that the authority recognises. Your lawyer confirms who may hold office and where. Once appointed, the trustee holds the assets, keeps the records and decides under the deed, so choose the trustee with care.
Can a trust in St Vincent have a protector?
Yes, the deed can create the role and set the protector's powers, such as consenting to distributions. The rule on who may hold it sits in the trustee section of this page. Your lawyer confirms how local law treats the role and who should hold it.
Sources
- SVG FSA: Trusts, read 2026-11-05.