Quilter has entered a new arrangement with trustee service provider ZEDRA aimed at making it more efficient for advisers and their clients to appoint professional trustees on Quilter trusts.

ZEDRA can now be appointed as a trustee on new and existing Quilter trusts to fulfil duties such as setting up and registering the trust, inheritance tax (IHT) calculations, ongoing services, and actioning withdrawals.

Additionally, Quilter trust customers will have access to discounted fees compared to if they appointed ZEDRA directly.

Quilter highlighted that legacy wealth planning was becoming increasingly important, with more people being brought into scope of IHT amid frozen IHT bands, rising house prices, and the upcoming introduction of unused pension pots being included in IHT calculations.

People looking for solutions are increasingly turning to trusts, which can be a complex area that advisers and their clients will need additional support with, Quilter added.

This support can include the use of professional trustee services to reduce the burden on families and help the trust to be set up and run efficiently.

Quilter said that the arrangement with ZEDRA was the latest instalment of a series of developments aimed at supporting advisers and their clients as demand for trusts grows.

It follows the recent launch of Quilter’s Lifestyle Trust policy fund management tool and its suite of ‘how-to’ guides for each of its trusts.

“An increasing number of advisers and their clients are reassessing how wealth is structured and are turning to trusts to help them mitigate IHT and safeguard financial legacies,” said Quilter tax and financial planning expert, Rachael Griffin.

“At Quilter, we’ve seen an almost 200 per cent increase in the number of Lifestyle Trusts opened in 2024 compared to 2023, and uptake in 2025 is on track to far surpass this level.

“The role of trustee can be a daunting task, particularly so for more complex cases, and this can act as a barrier for some clients who worry about appointing their family or friends. Through our arrangement with ZEDRA, we hope to make it as easy as possible to benefit from the services of a professional trustee.

“This arrangement forms part of our ongoing commitment to supporting informed financial planning conversations between advisers and their clients and is complemented by Quilter’s robust technical support and helpdesk availability which continues to be an invaluable resource in this changing landscape.”

ZEDRA director, Sue Wakefield, added: “ZEDRA is delighted to support Quilter’s trust clients by providing a professional trustee service. With over 55 years of experience as a professional trustee, we are seeing a growing interest in the use of trusts to support the transfer of wealth to future generations.

“Our highly qualified and experienced trust practitioners offer clients peace of mind, impartial guidance and ongoing support, ensuring their trusts are managed efficiently and competently.

“Increasing compliance and regulatory requirements have made it more challenging for family members to act as trustees; our professional trustee service removes this risk and relieves families of this burden.”

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