Accountants for trusts

Unrivalled accounting advice for trusts

Liston Newton Advisory
Liston Newton Advisory is rated 4.8 from 32 reviews

Specialist accountants for trusts

While trusts can perform exceptionally well as a business structure, it's important to set them up correctly to avoid major issues further down the track.

During set up, you need to ensure that you choose the right trustee and beneficiaries, as well as consider the future direction of your business.

Once a trust become profitable, you also need to ensure that you complete proper tax planning each year to correctly distribute profits to beneficiaries.

Finally, because trusts don't pay tax (which is paid by the beneficiaries), you need to make sure that you are planning for a future tax bill by putting aside money during one financial year to cover the next.

We can help you to realise and fulfil your trust obligations, with advice on:

  • Financial Statements
  • Tax compliance
  • BAS returns
  • ASIC requirements
  • Bookkeeping

Free financial strategy session*

Get a free 90-minute video consultation. See how it works.

*Offer subject to terms and conditions
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Get the best accounting advice for trusts. Talk to us for a Free 90-minute consultation.
See how it works

The right guidance for trust business structures

Image icon of reading glasses

Years of experience

Our 40-year history of helping businesses like yours means that we know exactly what you need to do to meet your obligations.

Image icon of a puzzle

Up-to-date advice

We stay well informed on the latest taxation laws, so you can always make the right moves for maximum benefit.

Image icon of a team

Client partnerships

Our long-term, ongoing client relationships are designed to support you in realising your long-term goals.

Image icon of a light bulb

Industry innovation

Our software and technology solutions are cutting-edge, making business as straightforward and efficient as possible.

Learn more about your business with our comprehensive guides

At Liston Newton Advisory, we take pride in helping business owners get more out of their hard work. Our downloadable guides can give you an in-depth look at strategies and technologies that will help your business grow.

  • Discover tax strategies and business structures available to you
  • Understand and apply new business management technology
  • Get in touch with us for information tailored to your business

Work with us with confidence and support. We're a Xero Platinum partner.

About us

Liston Newton's long history working with trust business structures means that we understand exactly when and how to implement them.

We're highly experienced in helping businesses like yours succeed. We can provide you with all the accounting and taxation information you need to attain the business success necessary for your complete financial freedom.

Kieran Liston, Director | Consultant

Our company advice team

We have worked with Liston Newton's Accountancy and Advisory Team for over a decade. During that time, our business has grown substantially both organically and through purchases. This wouldn’t have been possible without Liston Newton Advisory to assist with our business planning, providing proactive advice and ensuring our accounts were always compliant in a complex and volatile industry.
Karsten Horne
CEO, Reho Travel
Liston Newton's Accountants analysed our financial and business situation and helped us implement strategies to improve our position. Their strategies turned our business from making a loss, to recording a 6-month net profit of 36 per cent. And we are now on track to show a 240 per cent increase in turnover over the next financial year.
Lisa Clarke
SL Constructions
Liston Newton helped us move our accounting over to Xero. Their Accountant managed the set up and training so we felt comfortable with the software. We now have all our processes streamlined which gives us improved visibility of our business performance. This has allowed us to open 2 more stores without a significant increase in administration effort.
Peter Luskan
Pandora

Our methodology

We've developed a unique methodology that analyses your long-term goals and offers the right advice to help grow your business.

We focus on delivering sustainable, progressive growth that measures your success every step of the way.

Learn more about our methodology
Image of a team discussing cloud accounting

Trusts accountants you can bank on

We have all the qualifications and experience to help your business grow from strength to strength.

Our case studies

Talk to a trusts accountant

For the best in business set-up advice, get in touch with Liston Newton Advisory.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Frequently asked questions

What is a trust?

In a family trust company structure, assets are held by a third party. In the trust business structure, the trustee acts on behalf of the beneficiaries.

Who is a trust best suited to?

A trust can be ideal for businesses and individuals of all sizes – but bear in mind that they becomes tax-effective once profits exceed $100,000.

A trust can also benefit an individual looking to hold assets in a tax effective and legally protected environment.

How is a trust taxed?

Trusts do not pay any tax. Instead, any profit is calculated at the end of the financial year, based on the income of the trust, minus expenses and the previous year’s losses. Any profit is then distributed to the trust beneficiaries – whether that's you, your spouse, family members, or a bucket company.

When should I consider a trust?

A family trust is a great structure for growing businesses that have moved past the initial start-up stage. Once profits are growing and the business is taking on employees, a family trust should be a serious consideration.

Another benchmark is the amount of tax you pay. If you’re running a business with an average tax rate approaching 30%, a family trust can be beneficial in reducing the amount of tax.

A family trust should also be a serious consideration as a holding structure when making significant investments. Whether it’s running a business via a company, owning investment properties, or any other significant investment, a family trust can help protect those assets from financial and legal troubles – and it can also save you tax along the way.

What are the setup costs?

A trust generally costs $1,500 + GST in legal documentation to set up, or $2,500 + GST for a trust with a corporate trustee. For more information about accurate costs of setting up a trust, get in touch with Liston Newton Advisory.

Related resources

Our clients