What we do

Private wealth management is a holistic, values-based approach to structuring and protecting your family’s assets, legacy, and future across generations. Financial planning typically focuses on budgeting, investing, and retirement goals. Private wealth goes further, it considers your family structure, succession plans, governance, trusts, asset protection, and intergenerational aspirations. At Grayson Clements, we design custom legal structures that grow with you, helping families not just manage their money, but preserve their identity, purpose, and long-term wealth.

No. Private wealth planning isn’t just for the ultra-wealthy; it’s about being intentional from the start. Many of our clients begin their journey as young families or early-stage business owners. With the right structures in place, we’ve seen these same families grow successful companies, transition across generations, and exit to international buyers. We tailor the solution to your needs today and evolve it as you grow.

Start with a structure that separates personal and commercial risk. A trust owning shares in your company can protect your home and key personal assets if the business runs into trouble. This kind of setup ensures that even if things go wrong commercially, your family remains secure. At Grayson Clements, we walk the full journey with you, from day one startup to expansion, succession or exit.

Absolutely. Trusts remain a valuable tool for protecting family wealth but only if they’re well-structured and regularly reviewed. Many older trusts were created with vague purposes, outdated clauses, or misaligned beneficiary lists. The Trusts Act 2019 also introduced new duties for trustees and greater disclosure obligations. Rather than winding a trust up too quickly, it often makes more sense to review and realign it to fit your current needs and future goals.

If you haven’t reviewed your trust since the Trusts Act 2019 came into force, or if your circumstances have changed, it’s time. Look out for red flags like outdated beneficiaries (e.g., ex-partners or future partners), missing clauses (like the anti-Bartlett clause), or trust deeds that don’t reflect your current intentions. We can review your trust structure, help you understand what you have, and suggest updates that better protect your assets and align with your goals.

Family governance is the framework that helps families manage shared values, decision-making, and conflict as their wealth grows across generations. It includes regular family meetings, clear roles and expectations, and a safe space to discuss the business of being a family. Without it, relationships can fracture, especially in blended families or those managing complex assets. With it, families stay connected and aligned, not just financially, but personally.

Family banking is a strategy where the family becomes its own lender or investor to help the next generation build their own businesses or investments. Instead of giving handouts, the family “backs” each member with purpose and accountability. In one case, a family advanced funds for an engineering business in exchange for a small stake. It grew 300% – benefiting both the individual and the family. It’s about resourcing your children without creating dependency.

An anti-Bartlett clause protects trustees from liability for the day-to-day management of companies owned by a trust. Without it, trustees can be held responsible for business failures they didn’t control. This clause came from a court case where a bank acting as trustee was sued for not interfering enough. If your trust owns shares in a business, not having this clause is a major risk, and unfortunately, many older trusts in New Zealand don’t include it.

Winding up a trust prematurely can expose your assets to risk, especially if you’re still in business or in a high-liability profession. Trusts work best over time. You may have built a structure that protects your home or business assets, but if you wind it up because “trusts are dead,” those protections vanish. In some cases, it can even create family conflict or legal liability. A review is often the smarter step.

It’s the difference between success and failure. Families that ground their planning in values, not just numbers, build stronger succession pathways, avoid entitlement, and maintain unity across generations. At Grayson Clements, we’ve seen clients triple their net wealth not just through smart structures, but through shared values, family meetings, and long-term thinking. It’s about legacy, not just tax efficiency.

Some family businesses have been known to fail after three generations because they focus too much on the numbers and not enough on the values. Research shows the key to longevity is shared purpose, active engagement, and preparing the next generation. Families that treat succession as a journey – not an event – and invest in family governance, mentoring, and philanthropy tend to succeed well beyond Gen 3.

There’s no strict minimum, it’s about your goals, not your bank balance. At Grayson Clements, we work with families at all stages of life, including couples just starting a business or professionals thinking ahead to protect their home. Private wealth management is scalable. We tailor our advice to your needs today, then adapt as your circumstances grow more complex.

A financial advisor typically helps with investment choices, KiwiSaver, insurance, and retirement savings. A wealth manager (especially in the legal context) works more holistically, looking at trusts, succession planning, family governance, asset protection, and intergenerational wealth transfer. At Grayson Clements, we’re legal specialists in private wealth, often working alongside your financial advisor as part of a broader team.

Private wealth is about creating legal structures, like trusts, wills, governance frameworks, and family investment vehicles, that protect your assets, reflect your values, and support your long-term goals. It’s not a one-size-fits-all process. We help you design a structure that grows with your family and supports everything from starting a business to navigating succession or building a legacy.

Generational succession is the process of transitioning wealth, leadership, or responsibility from one generation to the next, often in a family business or trust structure. Done well, it involves more than handing over assets. It means preparing the next generation, articulating shared values, and fostering engagement through tools like family meetings or philanthropic involvement. It’s about passing on purpose as well as property.

A trust in New Zealand is a legal arrangement where assets are transferred to trustees to manage for the benefit of beneficiaries. It creates a separation between ownership and control, which can protect assets from commercial or relationship risks. Trusts are governed by a trust deed and must comply with the Trusts Act 2019. At Grayson Clements, we help you create and manage trusts that are customised, compliant, and enduring.

Yes, if they’re fit for purpose. While some outdated trusts are being wound up, a well-designed trust still plays a vital role in protecting assets, supporting succession, and managing intergenerational wealth. The key is regular review. If your trust hasn’t been checked since the law changed in 2019, or your circumstances have evolved, it’s worth getting expert advice before making changes.

The Trusts Act 2019 introduced important changes. Trustees now have clearer duties (like acting honestly and for the benefit of beneficiaries), and most beneficiaries have a legal right to be told they’re part of a trust and to receive basic trust information. If your trust hasn’t been reviewed since these changes came in, it may be vulnerable. We recommend checking your trust deed and structure to ensure it still aligns with your intentions.

At Grayson Clements, we don’t just offer technical advice, we walk the full journey with you. Whether you’re a young couple starting out or a family stewarding multi-generational wealth, we tailor every structure to fit your values, goals, and stage of life.

We’re one of only a few law firms in New Zealand specialising in values-based private wealth, integrating trusts, succession planning, family governance, ethical investment, and legacy design. Our team stays connected with international leaders in this space – including experts in the UK, Switzerland and Singapore – and we bring that global perspective to the New Zealand context.

What truly sets us apart is how we work with families. We don’t just protect assets; we help you prepare the next generation to lead with confidence. From trust reviews and anti-Bartlett clauses to building family offices and navigating succession, our approach is collaborative, educational, and empowering.