About
The Sovereign Trust is an open-source educational project run by volunteers. We believe knowledge about lawful asset management should not be locked behind expensive legal fees.
We do not sell “off-the-shelf” trusts. We teach you how to build your own, using plain English and the principles of equity and common law.
All content is provided strictly for educational purposes. We take no liability for your use of the materials. You alone decide how you interpret and apply them.
What is a Private Express Trust? (Explained Simply) Let’s break it down into the smallest, clearest pieces:
The Settlor – the person who creates the trust and puts the first assets into it (usually £10 or a nominal sum).
The Trustees – the people (or companies) who legally own and manage the assets. They must act in the best interests of the Beneficiaries and follow the trust deed exactly.
The Beneficiaries – the people (usually family) who receive the benefits (income or capital) at the Trustees’ discretion.
The Trust Property (Res) – anything of value placed into the trust (house, bank account, shares, gold, etc.). Once inside the trust, it is no longer part of the Settlor’s personal estate.
The Three Certainties (the law’s simple checklist for a valid trust)
Certainty of Intention – it must be clear you meant to create a trust.
Certainty of Subject Matter – the exact assets must be identified.
Certainty of Objects – the Beneficiaries must be clearly described.
If these three are present, English law recognises the trust as valid.
Why people choose this structure (in plain terms)
Keeps assets separate from personal estate (useful for probate, divorce, care-fee planning – always seek independent advice).
Provides privacy and controlled distribution to family.
Operates under equity and natural law principles rather than day-to-day statutory rules.
