The reform expressly distinguishes charitable from private-benefit trusts and redesigns their control mechanisms.
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LGBl. 2026 Nr. 12 · LR 216.0 · BuA 17/2025 · BuA 98/2025 · Editorial explanation · not an official translation
Liechtenstein Trust-Law Reform 2026
LGBl. 2026 No. 12 entered into force on 1 July 2026 and is already incorporated into the current PGR. This is an editorial explanation of the amending and transitional rules; the consolidated German PGR controls for present application.
Editorial explanation · not an official translation
Key takeaways
This is an independently authored explanation of official materials, not an official translation or a reproduction of the complete text. The current German version, transitional provisions and the facts of the matter must be checked before reliance.
Every private-benefit trust must identify at least one information-entitled person and a successor so that the control function remains continuously occupied.
The information-entitled person receives broad information and annual-accounting rights and must annually test administration against the trust documents.
Charitable trusts fall under the Foundation and Trust Supervision Authority and are subject to special notification, audit and judicial-supervision rules.
Existing private-benefit trusts receive an 18-month adaptation period from 1 July 2026; specified steps for existing charitable trusts carry a six-month period.
The transitional rules provide a cascade where the settlor is deceased, incapable or unreachable and permit court appointment of an auditor as the information-entitled person.
01
Classification, documents and registration
New Article 898a classifies a trust as charitable or private-benefit by the predominant purpose and use of the assets. Article 899a requires the documents to identify the trust, property, trustee, beneficiaries or purpose and, for a private-benefit trust, the information-entitled person and successor. A trust lasting more than twelve months must be filed with the Commercial Register within 30 days unless the permitted deposit of its instrument is used instead. Deposit is unavailable for a charitable trust, which follows an authority-notification and special-supervision regime.
02
The information-entitled person
Articles 928a–928d create a continuing control function. The settlor, a beneficiary or another person may serve, with independence and sufficient legal or economic expertise required for specified combinations. The trustee must implement the appointment and, within 30 days, notify the person in writing of the position, rights and duties. The person may inspect documents, books and relevant facts, annually tests administration, issues a report or confirmation and reports material non-compliance or danger to the assets to the court and, where applicable, the authority. Exceptions and documentary variations are confined by the exact statutory text.
03
Supervision and transition
For a charitable trust, the supervisory authority holds the information-entitled position by law, while the court retains power to order specific supervisory measures. Private-benefit trusts existing on 1 July 2026 must adapt their documents and appointments within 18 months; the statute supplies a cascade where the settlor is deceased, incapable or unreachable. Existing charitable trusts must complete specified registration and authority-notification steps within six months. Until a proper appointment is completed, parts of the previous regime continue to apply, so the transition is not an instantaneous replacement of every rule.
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Official sources
This is an independently authored explanation of official materials, not an official translation or a reproduction of the complete text. The current German version, transitional provisions and the facts of the matter must be checked before reliance.
LGBl. 2026 Nr. 12 amending act
28 pages · effective: 2026-07-01 · published: 2026-01-28
Open official source ↗Government report BuA 17/2025
Open official source ↗Smart Global Capital
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Discuss the legal positionEditorial explanation · not an official translation. This is an independently authored explanation of official materials, not an official translation or a reproduction of the complete text. The current German version, transitional provisions and the facts of the matter must be checked before reliance.