Trust Law (Australia) prompts for Australian lawyers
These prompts cover discretionary and unit trusts, trustee duties, trust variations, vesting, and beneficiary disputes under Australian trust law. Copy any prompt, replace placeholders with your matter facts, and run it.
A curated library of 25 AI prompts for lawyers advising on Australian trust law. Each prompt is grounded in equitable principles, state Trustee Acts, and leading High Court authority including CPT Custodian v Commissioner of State Revenue. Use them with Quillio for trust structuring, disputes, and administration.
Research prompts (5)
Research trustee duties and powers
Research the duties of a trustee under the Trustee Act [state] and general equitable principles. Cover fiduciary duties, the duty to act impartially, investment powers, and delegation.
Research discretionary trust distributions
Research the law governing distributions from a discretionary trust in Australia. Cover the trustee's power of appointment, the rule in Schmidt v Rosewood, and the tax consequences of streaming under Division 6 ITAA 1936.
Research trust vesting and perpetuity rules
Research the vesting and perpetuity rules applicable to trusts in [state]. Cover the rule against perpetuities, the statutory perpetuity period, and the consequences of vesting.
Research variation of trust deeds
Research the power to vary a trust deed under the trust instrument and the Variation of Trusts Act [state]. Cover the difference between administrative and dispositive variations and beneficiary consent requirements.
Research removal and appointment of trustees
Research the law governing removal and appointment of trustees under the Trustee Act [state] and the trust instrument. Cover the power of the appointor, court removal under section 70 equivalent, and the Letterstedt v Broers principles.
Drafting prompts (5)
Draft a discretionary trust deed
Draft a discretionary trust deed for a family trust. Settlor: [details]. Trustee: [details]. Primary beneficiaries: [details]. Include standard powers, vesting date, and appointor and guardian provisions.
Draft a deed of variation
Draft a deed of variation to a trust deed. Trust: [details]. Amendment: [details]. Include recitals identifying the power to vary, the specific amendments, and execution provisions.
Draft a trustee resolution for distribution
Draft a trustee resolution for the distribution of trust income and capital for the financial year ending [date]. Trust: [details]. Beneficiaries and amounts: [details]. Include streaming resolutions if applicable.
Draft a deed of retirement and appointment
Draft a deed of retirement and appointment of a new trustee. Retiring trustee: [details]. Incoming trustee: [details]. Trust: [details]. Include vesting of trust property and release provisions.
Draft a beneficiary loan agreement
Draft a loan agreement between a trust and a beneficiary for an unpaid present entitlement. Trust: [details]. Beneficiary: [details]. Amount: [details]. Include Division 7A compliant terms if the trust has a UPE to a corporate beneficiary.
Review prompts (5)
Review a trust deed for deficiencies
Review this trust deed for legal deficiencies. Check the definition of beneficiaries, trustee powers, variation clauses, appointor provisions, vesting date, and stamping requirements.
Review a distribution resolution
Review this trustee distribution resolution for compliance with the trust deed and Division 6 ITAA 1936. Check that the resolution was made before year-end, covers all net income, and any streaming elections are valid.
Review a deed of variation
Review this deed of variation to a trust deed. Verify the power to vary exists, the variation does not create a resettlement, and stamp duty implications have been addressed.
Review trust compliance for a property purchase
Review this trust's compliance position before a significant property purchase. Check the trust deed powers, trustee authority, land tax surcharge exposure, and stamp duty treatment.
Review an appointor succession plan
Review this appointor succession arrangement. Verify the trust deed permits the succession mechanism, the appointor's power is correctly defined, and estate planning implications are addressed.
Client comms prompts (5)
Explain trust structures to a new client
Draft a plain-English briefing explaining the key Australian trust structures — discretionary, unit, and hybrid trusts. Cover the roles (trustee, appointor, guardian, beneficiary), tax treatment, and asset protection.
Explain trustee duties
Draft a plain-English letter to a newly appointed trustee explaining their duties and obligations. Cover fiduciary duties, record keeping, distribution obligations, and personal liability.
Explain trust vesting
Draft a plain-English letter explaining what happens when a trust vests, the options available (extend, wind up, distribute), and the tax and stamp duty consequences of each option.
Explain Division 7A and trusts
Draft a plain-English briefing explaining how Division 7A ITAA 1936 applies to trusts with unpaid present entitlements owed to corporate beneficiaries. Cover compliant loan agreements and deemed dividend risks.
Explain trust dispute options
Draft a plain-English letter to a beneficiary explaining their options in a trust dispute. Cover information rights, trustee removal, judicial advice applications, and the costs of litigation.
Strategy prompts (5)
Strategy for trust restructure
Develop a strategy for restructuring a family trust to achieve [objective]. Current structure: [details]. Consider resettlement risks, CGT consequences, stamp duty, and trust law constraints.
Strategy for protecting the appointor role
Develop an estate planning strategy for protecting the appointor role in a family trust. Current appointor: [details]. Succession plan: [details]. Consider loss of mental capacity, death, and family disputes.
Strategy for trust wind-up
Develop a strategy for winding up a trust. Trust: [details]. Assets: [details]. Beneficiaries: [details]. Cover CGT events, stamp duty, distribution mechanics, and final tax return obligations.
Strategy for defending a trustee removal application
Develop a defence strategy for a trustee facing a beneficiary removal application. Facts: [details]. Consider the Letterstedt v Broers principles, evidence of proper administration, and alternative dispute resolution.
Strategy for trust and estate planning integration
Develop a strategy for integrating a client's trust structure with their estate plan. Family: [details]. Trusts: [details]. Wills: [details]. Consider testamentary trusts, appointor succession, and superannuation death benefit nominations.
Run these prompts grounded in AU law
Quillio is built for Australian trust law practice — every research output cites the relevant Trustee Act, leading case law, and ATO rulings on trust taxation. See /practice-areas/commercial-lawyers for details, or start a free trial at /free-trial to use these prompts on your own matters.
These prompts are templates — always verify outputs against source material, current legislation, and the specific trust instrument before relying on them in client matters.
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