Guernsey Foundation

A Foundation is often described as a hybrid of a company and a trust. The Guernsey foundation is an incorporated entity with a separate legal personality but which, unlike a company, does not have shareholders. Instead, it holds assets in its own name on behalf of beneficiaries and/or purpose. It looks similar to a company, but its operation is more akin to that of a trust.

Guernsey’s recent foundation legislation has set out to ensure that the vehicle includes the best attributes of those foundations based in other competitor jurisdictions with appropriate safeguards for beneficiaries in line with the regulatory environment the Island offers to companies and trusts. The law also incorporates provisions for migrating existing Foundations from other jurisdictions into Guernsey.