SENIOR FIDUCIARY SPECIALIST

Key Responsibilities:

Prepare high-level estate planning reports for UHNW and HNW clients. The individual must possess the required skills to be able to review and advise on the existing local and international estate planning consequences relevant to existing local and international estate planning tools and assets, analyse clients’ unique needs and circumstances, and make appropriate recommendations for local and international estate tools and techniques that can be used to meet clients’ unique needs and cater for clients’ unique circumstances.

Provide South African and international wealth structuring advice, which includes the following:

• Consultation in connection with, and taking instructions for, the drafting of wills dealing with South African and foreign assets, and where applicable, facilitating the drafting of wills in foreign jurisdictions to deal with certain foreign assets.
• Drafting and establishing South African trust deeds, i.e. inter vivos trusts, charitable trusts, and other philanthropic structures in South Africa per relevant legislation, regulations, and best practices.
• Review of existing trust structures (and trust deeds) and provision of recommendations to ensure the viability thereof per relevant legislation, case law, regulations, and best practice.
•  Drafting relevant legal contracts, e.g. sales agreements and loan agreements.
• Facilitating the establishment of offshore trusts, investment/property holding companies, and international retirement and/or pension and savings-related arrangements.
• Independently manage a complex portfolio of trust and estate accounts.
• Oversee all aspects of trust administration, including account openings, closings, and ongoing maintenance.
• Ensure accurate and timely recordkeeping for all trust activities.
• Analyse and interpret complex trust instruments to determine the proper distribution of assets.
• Communicate effectively with clients, beneficiaries, and legal counsel regarding trust matters.
• Identify and address any potential trust or estate administration issues.

Administration of deceased estates:

• Locate and inventory all assets and liabilities of the estate.
• Communicate effectively with beneficiaries, executors, and other interested parties.
• Research and obtain valuations for estate assets.
• Manage and pay off any outstanding debts and taxes.
• Prepare and file all necessary legal documents with the court.
• Oversee the sale or distribution of estate assets.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records of all estate transactions.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant probate and estate administration laws.
• Liaise with legal counsel and financial advisors as needed.
• Provide updates and answer questions from beneficiaries in a timely and professional manner.

Actively participate in the Fiduciary Specialist Forum by:

• Providing updates for legislative and regulatory developments impacting fiduciary-related matters.
• Contributing towards ensuring the templates are kept up to date, e.g. estate planning reports, trust deed templates, and loan agreements.
• Creating house views on fiduciary-related matters.
• Proactively developing fiduciary-related solutions for UHNW and HNW clients.
• Contributing articles on estate planning, trusts, wills, and international for Fiduciary Focus.
• A newsletter that is distributed to clients to create awareness of their fiduciary capabilities.
• Arrange regular training sessions with wealth managers and other client-facing people to build awareness of the complexities and nuances involved with assisting UHNW and HNW clients in structuring their international wealth.
• Ensure compliance and risk management processes and procedures are in place and ensure adherence therewith.
• Liaise with external stakeholders.
• Ensure the above services are provided in a commercially viable manner.