Liechtenstein Foundations.
Protect what's precious.
Six risks most Swiss families have never fully considered. One structure that addresses all of them.
Is a foundation the right solution for me?
Begin Assessment →Get an honest answer — including if the answer is no.
The more you own,
the more you risk.
Direct ownership — the symbol of success — also creates exposure. The more you build, the more you have to lose. Six risks most wealthy Swiss families have never fully considered.
Deep Dive — Explore each risk in detail
Your wealth was taxed when you earned it.
It is taxed again annually just for owning it.
The more your assets grow, the more you will be taxed — on wealth that was already yours.
A foundation can help.
No foundation yet? Try our free calculator — see exactly how much tax your assets cost you today.
Run the numbers →Have you ever given a personal guarantee? Watched a business dispute turn ugly? Wondered what a lawsuit could take?
Most people with significant assets have. Few have done anything about it.
A foundation can build a legal fortress around what you have built.
See how the fortress works →Built it yourself. Inherited it. Either way — it is yours.
Perhaps you have been through a difficult separation before. Perhaps you are starting fresh with a blended family.
You love your partner. But this time you want to be prepared.
A foundation can quietly protect what is yours — and keep it that way.
See how protection works →Upon passing, you may imagine a scene from a movie — a room, a lawyer, your wishes read out and honoured.
In Switzerland, that is not how it works.
Swiss law has already decided who gets the first share — regardless of your wishes. Your will governs only what remains.
Most people only find out when it is too late.
A foundation can help ensure your vision endures.
Your will governs only what remains after Swiss law has taken its share.
Discover what your will cannot do →You did everything right. You made a will. You thought you had protected your family from conflict.
After you pass, the will can be set aside. Siblings fight. Assets frozen. Years of lawyers. Relationships that never recover.
A foundation does.
A will expresses your wishes. It does not always enforce them.
See why wills are not enough →You are discreet about what you have built. That is your right.
But right now, anyone curious enough can peep through your window. Your property is in the land register. Your companies are in the commercial register.
A foundation puts you back in control. You decide what is visible. You decide when to be transparent.
Your property and companies are already visible to anyone who looks.
See what is publicly visible →Ownership itself is the vulnerability.
The Liechtenstein
Foundation Structure.
Assets legally separated from your personal estate. Control maintained through strategic architecture.
Foundation Layer
Legal owner of assets. No shareholders. Governed by a council you appoint. Registered in Liechtenstein, holds assets worldwide.
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A Liechtenstein Family Foundation is a legally independent entity with no shareholders — it owns itself. You establish it through a Foundation Deed that defines the purpose, names beneficiaries, and sets binding rules for governance and distributions.
The Foundation Council manages assets according to your instructions. You can be a council member and reserve the right to appoint and remove other members.
PPLI (Private Placement Life Insurance) Wrapper
Insurance company as holder. Bankruptcy privilege. Freedom to invest in equities, private equity, alternatives, and existing assets in-kind.
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Private Placement Life Insurance (PPLI) is a sophisticated legal wrapper. You select specific assets. Statutory insurance secrecy — violations carry criminal penalties. Contribute existing assets without selling.
Minimum capital: CHF 500k–1M. Annual fees: 0.5–1% of policy value.
PAS (Private Asset Structure) Tax Status
Foundation treated as a separate entity by Swiss tax authorities. CHF 1,800 flat annual tax. No wealth tax on foundation assets.
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Private Asset Structure status removes foundation assets from your personal wealth tax declaration. Foundation income and capital gains are not attributed to you personally. You are taxed only on distributions you actually receive.
PAS status depends on true irrevocability. Retaining the right to revoke will cause Swiss authorities to disregard the structure entirely.
You conduct.
The council performs.
Relinquishing ownership doesn't mean surrendering control. Three instruments give you permanent authority.
Foundation Deed
You define purpose, beneficiaries, and distribution rules. Legally binding on the council. Cannot be overridden.
Foundation Council
At least 2 members, including a qualified Liechtenstein trustee. You can be a member. You appoint and remove.
Letter of Wishes
Non-binding but influential direction for the council on discretionary matters. Adds personal intent to formal structure.
The council must perform your composition. That is Liechtenstein law.
The only advisor who lives inside the structure he recommends.
In 2021, I established the Graf Family Foundation to protect my own family's wealth — not as a marketing exercise, but as a genuine multi-generational structure for my wife and three sons.
Before that: 20+ years in institutional asset management at LGT Capital Partners and Man Investments, working with sovereign wealth funds and family offices managing billions.
Every strategy I recommend, I use myself.
The structure I built for my own family.
In 2021, I established the Graf Family Foundation through a licensed Liechtenstein trustee. This is not a case study. It is my family's actual structure — the same architecture I design for clients.
This diagram represents the Graf family's specific structure for illustrative purposes only. Each client's structure must be customised to their unique circumstances, goals, and legal requirements. Source: Graf Wealth Advisory.
Clear costs.
No surprises.
- Liechtenstein registration CHF 1k–3k
- Legal documentation CHF 5k–15k+
- Notarial services CHF 1.5k–3k
- Initial trustee setup CHF 3k–8k
- PPLI setup & underwriting CHF 2k–5k
Fees vary significantly based on your family situation. Simple structures start from CHF 15k. Complex multi-jurisdiction arrangements reach CHF 80k.
- Liechtenstein tax (PAS) CHF 1.8k flat
- Foundation council & trustee CHF 5k–10k+
- PPLI administration 0.5–1% AUM
- Accounting & compliance CHF 2k–5k
Actual costs depend on structure complexity. A straightforward foundation with a single trustee typically runs CHF 8–12k annually.
Fee-only independence. All fees quoted are estimates. Your actual costs depend on the complexity of your family situation, chosen service providers, and jurisdiction. I charge only for advisory work — no commissions from trustees, insurers, or third parties. The CHF 4,500 feasibility analysis is fully credited toward implementation if you proceed.
Let's discuss
your situation.
No obligation. No pressure. Just an honest conversation about what's possible for your family.
Stephan Graf
Zurich, Switzerland
Serving Swiss residents and international families with cross-border complexity