Service
Trusts & Fiduciary Planning.
Where a trust earns its place, and where it does not.
Who Richard advises
Richard advises people from organisations like these.
Employer information is provided by clients during the consultation process and is not independently verified. Logos shown are trademarks of their respective owners and do not imply endorsement of Richard Knight or Business Class Asia.
Who this is for
Who this service is for.
- 01
Families with succession complexity
Have beneficiaries who should not receive a lump sum outright, or a succession that needs managing over time.
- 02
People sold a trust
Were placed in a trust structure years ago and want a conflict-free view of whether it still serves them.
- 03
Cross-border estate holders
Assets across jurisdictions and want to know whether a trust genuinely simplifies the position or just adds cost.
What's involved
What's actually involved.
Trusts are highly effective when used for the right reasons. Properly structured, they can protect assets and manage succession across generations.
The value of a trust is not limited to tax efficiency. A well-drafted trust, supported by a Letter of Wishes, allows you to guide how assets are managed and distributed long after you are gone, helping trustees understand your intentions, priorities and the outcomes you want for future generations. Letters of Wishes are commonly used alongside trusts to provide guidance to trustees while retaining flexibility as circumstances change.
The work here is to determine whether a trust structure is appropriate for your circumstances. Where recommended, any fees, commissions or advisor remuneration are disclosed in writing before you decide, including where the recommendation is to do nothing at all.
Where a trust earns its place
A genuine succession need, a vulnerable or young beneficiary, or an asset that should be held and managed rather than handed over, these are the situations a trust is built for.
The cross-border position matters: a structure that works in one jurisdiction can be inert or counterproductive once Thai residency and UK domicile are in view.
Established by trustees, not sold
Where a trust is right, it is established through appropriate, regulated trustees on their own terms. You may ask what any recommendation pays me, and the answer is set out in writing before you decide.
Common mistakes
Common mistakes to avoid.
- 01
Buying a trust as a product.
A trust sold for the fee it generates is the classic mis-sale in this category. Start from the succession need, not the structure.
- 02
Ignoring the cross-border interaction.
A trust that is efficient in one country can create reporting or tax friction once Thai residency is part of the picture. That has to be modelled first.
How the practice works
Three conversations before any commitment.
A measured introduction, a written plan, and a clear engagement. No long sales process. No pressure on the first call. You leave the first meeting with a clearer view of what is in front of you, whether or not the work proceeds.
- 01
An introduction.
Thirty minutes by video, or in person at the Bangkok, Hua Hin or Pattaya office. A discussion of your situation, your concerns, and what the years ahead are intended to look like. Rough figures are sufficient. No documents required in advance.
- 02
A written plan.
A second meeting where the work is appropriate for both parties. A written summary of the plan, the moves in priority order, the realistic timeline, and the cost in plain numbers.
- 03
An engagement, in writing.
A written engagement letter that sets out how I am paid, commission on what is arranged and a fee on what is managed, with every figure and what it pays, before you proceed. Either party may end the engagement at any time. Custody arrangements remain in place regardless.
Free guide
Trusts and fiduciary planning.
Where a trust earns its place in a plan, and where it does not. The structures, the post-April 2025 residence-based IHT test, the fact that Thailand does not recognise private trusts, and the four problems an offshore trust actually solves.
What is inside
- What a trust actually is, and the main types
- Vested versus non-vested, and why Thailand does not recognise private trusts
- The jurisdictions, and the post-April 2025 residence-based IHT test
- Choosing a trustee, and when a trust is the wrong answer
Plain English, nothing to sign. Useful even if you never get in touch.
The advisor
Richard Knight.
Richard Knight is a British national with fifteen years' experience in private wealth management, advising internationally mobile clients across Asia, Europe and beyond. Based in Thailand, he works with expatriates and international families navigating the complexities of cross-border wealth, retirement and estate planning.
The practice is built on first-hand experience of international relocation and long-term expatriate life, rather than a purely theoretical understanding of it.
He is an Associate Member of the UK's Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (ACSI) and holds CISI qualifications in Financial Planning and Investments.
He also serves as Vice Chair of the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand in Hua Hin, supporting the local business and expatriate community.
Richard maintains a deliberately limited client base, focusing on conservative, long-term planning for people who value clarity, stability and peace of mind over unnecessary risk.
“Richard works in finance business for many years and his recommendations are reliable and efficient. He is very attentive to the clients and help them to come to the most beneficial solution. Having Richard as your personal finance consultant you can feel secure for your future.”
“Richard is reliable person, with good knowledge of the products that he propose to clients. He want client to understand the process and he cares of the client future.”
“Richard is a great and reliable service provider.”
Fees and what to expect
What it costs, and how I'm paid.
I am paid through commission on the products arranged and an ongoing fee on the assets managed. Every cost, and what it pays, is set out in writing before you decide.
You may ask what any recommendation pays me, and the figures that apply are agreed in writing in the engagement letter before you proceed.
A first 30-minute consultation costs nothing and obliges you to nothing.
Client assets are held by an appointed trustee or a regulated platform, never by me.
Questions
Questions about this.
Begin a conversation.
Thirty minutes, by video or in person at the Bangkok, Hua Hin or Pattaya office. Free, and without obligation. You leave with a clearer view of what is in front of you, whether or not the work proceeds.
Book a meeting
Choose a time that suits you.
Thirty minutes with Richard Knight, ACSI directly. By video, phone, or in person. No obligation.