Trust Home Loan

What is a trust home loan?

A trust home loan is an alternative to a standard mortgage and is a home loan structured around the context of a trust agreement.

This loan is frequently used for asset protection and tax purposes. Three parties are usually involved in trust house loans: the trustor (lender), the beneficiary (borrower), and the trustee (an impartial third party).

What trust types can I use to apply?

Depending on the policies of the lender and the particulars of your loan application, there may be limitations on the sorts of trusts you can use to apply for a trust home loan. Lenders typically consider the following trust types when approving home loan applications:

Family Trust

A family trust is established to hold and administer assets for the benefit of family members. The distribution and management of trust assets shall follow the terms and conditions of the trust contract. The trust’s financial health and the trustees’ capacity to repay the loan may be considered by lenders.

Hybrid Trust

Hybrid trusts combine elements of fixed and discretionary trusts, giving the trustee a certain amount of control over how the trust’s assets are distributed or positioned while also giving beneficiaries some rights, such as the ability to receive regular entitlements in the form of special units. 

It’s essential to remember that each lender may have different trust home loan regulations and standards. Certain trust types may be easier for some lenders to work with than others. The trust’s provisions may also influence a lender’s decision to grant a loan application, the qualifications of the trustees, and the trust’s financial stability.

Contact our senior mortgage brokers, who can offer specialised advice depending on your unique trust arrangement at 1300 030 388 or enquire online to get your trust home loan application started.

What lenders look for when applying

Lenders will consider several variables when you apply for a trust home loan to verify your eligibility and identify the risk involved with the loan.

Here are some typical considerations that lenders often consider when processing applications for trust home loans:

• Trusts are evaluated in various ways. Some banks prefer family or discretionary trusts, while hybrid, property investor, and self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) trusts are acceptable.
• Did you realise that trustee companies and, in some situations, trusts have credit files in addition to directors and beneficiaries of a trust? The banks examine the files for applications to other banks and any errors.
• The trust deed attests to the trustee’s and beneficiaries’ legal status. Your lender will examine the deed to ensure that the trustee has the authority to apply for loans on behalf of the trust.
• Instead of having the loan in the name of the trust, many people choose to have it in the name of the trustee or director of the trustee firm. In other words, the trust is the mortgagor, and the director of the trustee firm is the borrower. The purpose of doing this is to profit from negative gearing advantages when employing a unit or hybrid trust.
• Did you know that specific lenders want guarantors for all adult beneficiaries? Most trusts have two, three, or more beneficiaries, and these arrangements can make it challenging to obtain financing.

What documents should I prepare?

Providing adequate will help us properly evaluate your situation and strengthen your application by finding the right lenders. Moreover, these records aid the chosen lender in determining whether the trust qualifies for the loan and your capacity to repay it.

A verified copy of the trust deed with the stamp of a certified copy of the bylaws of the business (if there is a trustee) and identification is required for each trustee, director of trustees, and trust beneficiary, and notices of assessment and tax returns for the trust (not usually necessary, especially with new or low-doc trusts) are also needed.

Trust Home Loan: Pros and Cons

Like every financial tool, trust home loans have benefits and drawbacks of their own. When considering a trust home loan for your real estate finance requirements, knowing these benefits and disadvantages might help you make a well-informed choice.

Benefits of borrowing under a trust

You can lessen your tax bill by giving money to family members with less taxable income. Without holding ownership of the assets in your name, trusts let you manage them and collect payment from them.

Assets, including real estate, can be protected from lawsuits and creditors by being placed in a trust. This can be highly beneficial if you’re worried about defending your home against prospective litigation or financial troubles.

Drawbacks of a trust home loan

Trust home loans often have higher interest rates, fees, and closing charges than standard mortgages. Over the loan, this may lead to significantly increased borrowing expenses.

Since a trust structure is involved, managing a trust home loan can be more complicated than managing a standard mortgage. It may be necessary to seek professional guidance while navigating the legal and financial aspects of trusts, which can increase the complexity and cost.

Apply for a trust home loan with Mortgage Pros

You should carefully analyse the benefits and drawbacks of a trust home loan before making a decision, ensuring that it aligns with your financial goals and objectives.

It can also be helpful to consult with trust and mortgage professionals to make well-informed judgments and successfully get financing within the trust structure.

At Mortgage Pros, we help you ensure that every detail of your trust loan is ideal for maximising the profits of your investments. We know how trusts operate and which kind of trusts lenders will approve.

To speak with a mortgage broker specialising in assisting people in borrowing money for their trust, please enquire online or call us at 1300 030 388.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a discount on trust home loans?

Yes! Knowing which lender can deal with your specific form of trust and your intended loan amount is the key to getting your loan approved.

To avoid paying extra fees and a higher rate, you must ensure that the lender handles your loan as a residential loan rather than a commercial loan.

Many individuals are still determining how they will be able to purchase an investment property under a trust because many lenders do not even accept residential loans for trusts.

Why don’t all banks lend to trusts?

Banks think loans to certain trusts might be legally unenforceable if the borrower cannot repay the debt.

Additionally, many lenders are concerned that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) may alter taxation decisions regarding trusts, impacting the borrowers of their loans.

Due to the additional work involved in drafting mortgage documentation and examining the trust deed, trust loans are less profitable for most lenders, so they refrain from lending to them.

Can I have the trust home loan under my name?

Yes, the loan can be set up so that it is in the trustee’s or the director’s name rather than the name of the trust.

It is possible to set up a trust home loan in this way, but it’s essential to realise that you play more of the role of the trustor—the person who creates the trust—than the borrower. The trustee is in charge of overseeing the loan and the property on the trust’s behalf.

I’m borrowing for an investment property. Can I sell it to my trust?

It is possible to transfer your current investment property to your trust.

However, if you have made any capital gains since buying your investment property, you may need to pay capital gains tax on those gains and stamp duty on the transfer.

Are there low-doc options?

Obtaining approval for a low-doc trust loan is doable. Instead of submitting tax returns as evidence of your income, a low-doc loan will let you declare it.

Before you apply for a low-doc loan utilising a trust, talk to our trust home loan brokers at 1300 030 388 or enquire online because only a few carefully chosen lenders would consider such loans.