Shareholding Trust/Business Trust
The shares in a company or membership interest in a close corporation, can be held in a trust and in the vents of death, those shares or interests will not be included in the calculation of estate duty as part of the estate. The transfer of those shares or membership interests can easily be done, with minimal costs.
Experts agree that it would be better to place shares or membership interest into a Shareholding Trust to eliminate the business value being included in an estate.
From a personal protection point of view, a CC and less frequently, a private company, are occasionally subject to the Courts “piercing the corporate veil” and holding the individual personally liable. The benefits of having these assets registered in a business trust will ensure complete peace of mind.
