Public Trust Corporation

What Public Trust Corporation does

Public Trust Corporation is New Zealand's Autonomous Crown Entity and the world's first public trustee service organisation, founded in 1873 by Prime Minister Julius Vogel and operating continuously for 150+ years under the Public Trust Act 2001. The company provides a comprehensive suite of estate planning, estate administration, and trustee services through approximately 450 employees across 22 customer care centres nationwide, supported by a 24/7 online platform (publictrustonline.co.nz), phone support, and live chat. Core retail products include four will tiers priced from NZ$69 to NZ$1,400 (couple), Enduring Power of Attorney products from NZ$219 to NZ$705, and probate and letters of administration services starting from NZ$1,299 and NZ$2,199 respectively.

The company's Corporate Trustee Services (CTS) division is a separately licensed supervisor under New Zealand's Financial Markets Supervisors Act 2011, providing independent supervision, custody, and KiwiSaver withdrawal assessment for investment managers, asset managers, KiwiSaver providers, and retirement villages, with NZ$90 billion in assets under supervision. Additional regulated and government-mandated services include the Fee Protect student fee protection service used by 200+ training providers and administration of over 430 charitable trusts distributing grants to New Zealand communities. The technology stack centres on secure online platforms for will and EPA creation, an NZ-first RegTech system for KiwiSaver hardship and serious illness withdrawals (handling 58,000+ applications in 2025), and digital brochures and video content for top-of-funnel education.

Public Trust generates revenue primarily through professional services fees (will creation, estate administration, probate, tax services) and managed services fees (Corporate Trustee supervision, custody, Fee Protect, investment management). The business is self-funding through service fees rather than government appropriations, with FY2024/25 revenue of NZ$85.6 million and net profit before tax of NZ$6.5 million (up from NZ$83.2M revenue and NZ$7.1M NPAT in FY2023/24). Customer segments span individual consumers (primary), financial services businesses (primary), charitable organisations, and training providers. As an Autonomous Crown Entity, Public Trust is wholly owned by the New Zealand Government, is governed by a Board appointed under the Crown Entities Act, and distributed NZ$2.25 million of capital to the Crown in 2024/25.

Name

Public Trust Corporation

Legal name

Public Trust

Website

https://publictrust.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1873

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Public Trust Corporation is New Zealand's Autonomous Crown Entity and the world's first public trustee, providing wills, EPAs, estate administration, probate, and licensed corporate trustee services (NZ$90B under supervision) to individual consumers, financial services firms, and charities across 22 customer care centres and a 24/7 online platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Estate Planning and Trustee Services

NAICS

Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (525920), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal & Family Trust Services (FSAAANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Estate Planning, Trust Structuring & Governance (FSAAADAF), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Corporate Trust Services (Trustee, Agent & Escrow Roles) (FSAEAKAB)

Keywords

• Estate planning services
• Will creation
• Enduring power of attorney
• Corporate trustee services
• Probate and estate administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Will and EPA Services: Fees from creating wills and enduring powers of attorney, including online and in-centre options with various pricing tiers
2. Estate Administration and Probate: Fees for estate administration services when Public Trust is named executor, probate application services, and letters of administration. Fees are based on work done, not estate value
3. Corporate Trustee Services: Supervision, custody, and trustee services for investment schemes, managed investment schemes, KiwiSaver schemes, retirement villages, and other regulated products. NZ$90 billion under supervision
4. Tax Services: Tax return preparation and filing services for customers with estates, trusts, or personal assist clients
5. Student Fee Protection: Fee Protect service for training providers to comply with government fee protection requirements, used by over 200 training providers
6. Investment Services: Diversified funds and personalized portfolio services for existing customers who are trustees, attorneys, or property managers under Public Trust's care

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Public Trust is New Zealand's autonomous Crown Entity provider of wills, enduring powers of attorney (EPAs), estate administration, probate, trust services, and corporate trustee services. It operates an online platform (publictrustonline.co.nz) for self-service will and EPA creation and provides in-person services through 22 customer care centres. Its Corporate Trustee Services division supervises regulated investment schemes, KiwiSaver funds, and retirement villages with NZ$90 billion under supervision.

Product overview

Public Trust offers a comprehensive suite of estate planning and trustee services through a unified platform accessible online and in-person. The core offerings include four tiers of will packages (Basic, Standard, Comprehensive Online Wills and In-Centre Wills) and Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) services for personal care/welfare and property/finance, all available online or at customer centres. Estate administration services span probate, letters of administration, and flexible estate support, with the option to appoint Public Trust as executor. Trust services cover family, inheritance, prepaid funeral, charitable, and non-income earning trusts. Corporate Trustee Services provide supervision, custody, and KiwiSaver withdrawal management for business customers. Additional services include tax returns, investment funds (Diversified Funds and Personalised Portfolio), student fee protection (Fee Protect), charitable grant administration, and property manager services under PPPR legislation. All services can be accessed through the publictrustonline.co.nz platform with support available via chat and phone.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fee Protect: Student Fee Protection service for training providers
• Personal Assist
• Public Trust Online

Products and services

• Will Creation Service Secure will creation service for New Zealand individuals and couples, available online (Basic $69, Standard $99/$165, Comprehensive $159/$271 tiers) and in-centre ($750 individual / $1,400 couple with expert assistance), including guardianship instructions, funeral wishes, Māori land rights, business/farm instructions and testamentary trust setup. Includes free annual updates, unlimited edits over 30 days, expert review add-on, and mirror will upgrades.
• Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) Service Enduring Power of Attorney creation for Personal Care & Welfare and Property & Finance, available online ($219 individual / $329 couple) and in-centre ($385 individual / $705 couple with expert assistance) for New Zealanders who want to appoint a trusted person to make important decisions about their finances, property and welfare. Includes witnessing appointment, expert review add-on, and re-opening of existing EPAs.
• Probate Application Service Application service for named executors to confirm executor authority and validate a will through the High Court, starting from $1,299. Includes expert review, document preparation, signing and filing, court liaison, and dedicated support, with High Court filing fees from $269 additional and reduced to $40 for estates under $120,000.
• Letters of Administration Service Service for estates without a will or where executors cannot act, starting from $2,199. Includes expert review, document preparation, signing and filing, court liaison, publishing notices and dedicated support, with High Court filing fees from $390.95.
• Flexible Estate Support Customizable estate administration support beyond probate or letters of administration, including asset management, debt settlement and estate distribution for families managing a deceased estate.
• Estate Administration (Public Trust as Executor) Complete estate administration service when Public Trust is named executor, including probate application, asset management, tax finalisation and beneficiary distribution. Fees based on work done rather than estate value, with fixed fees for standard work and hourly rates for additional work; faster access to funds for smaller estates under $120,000.
• Executor Assist Support services for individuals named as executors in wills, ranging from essential probate help to full estate administration, easing the burden of executor responsibilities on family members and friends.
• Family Trust Trust structure to hold and protect assets for family beneficiaries now and into the future, administered by Public Trust under the Trusts Act 2019.
• Inheritance Trust Trust that protects assets and supports loved ones after the settlor's death, administered by Public Trust.
• Prepaid Funeral Trust Trust arrangement to set money aside for funeral costs, easing the financial burden on family members at a difficult time, administered by Public Trust.
• Charitable Trust Trust structure for ongoing charitable giving to causes supported by the settlor, administered by Public Trust.
• Non-Income Earning Trust Trust structure ensuring optimal performance for trusts without income generation requirements, administered by Public Trust.
• Tax Services Annual tax return preparation and filing services for customers with estates, trusts, or who use Personal Assist, with electronic submission to Inland Revenue.
• Diversified Funds Portfolio investment entities (PIEs) investing in shares, bonds and cash with minimum $5,000 investment and tax capped at 28%, offered to existing customers who are trustees, attorneys or property managers under Public Trust's care.
• Personalised Portfolio Service Specialist investment advisory service for wholesale trusts with over $2,000,000 to invest, with tailored portfolios and comprehensive reporting, offered to existing Public Trust customers.
• Corporate Trustee Services - Supervision Independent FMA-licensed supervision for regulated products and managed investment schemes, including KiwiSaver supervision. Public Trust is licensed by the FMA under the Financial Markets Supervisors Act 2011 to act as trustee or supervisor of regulated offers of debt securities, registered schemes (including managed investment schemes and KiwiSaver schemes) and retirement villages, with the licence renewed 16 January 2023 and expiring 17 January 2028.
• Corporate Trustee Services - Custody Specialist custody services for investment managers, asset managers and participatory schemes, including banking, trade settlements and comprehensive reporting, with tailored custody solutions for investment funds, escrow, tax pooling and participatory schemes.
• KiwiSaver Withdrawal Processing Supervisor services for assessing KiwiSaver withdrawal applications due to significant financial hardship or serious illness, delivered as New Zealand's largest KiwiSaver supervisor across schemes including AMP, ASB, Booster, Generate, Fisher Funds, Koura, MAS, Pathfinder, Simplicity and Superlife. KiwiSaver providers remain the main point of contact for customers.
• Corporate Trustee Services - Statutory Supervision Statutory supervision services for retirement villages and various investment schemes, licensed by the FMA.
• Fee Protect (Student Fee Protection) Trust accounting service for training providers to comply with New Zealand government student fee protection requirements, used by over 200 training providers across New Zealand with continuous programme improvements to the website and newsletters.
• Charitable Grants Administration Administration of over 430 charitable trusts distributing funds back into communities in support of education, health, science, medicine, disability and agriculture initiatives.
• Property Manager Services (PPPR) Court-supervised financial management services for individuals who can no longer manage their own finances under the PPPR (Protection of Personal and Property Rights) Act, including examination of financial statements at $247.27 per hour (including GST as of October 2024), with costs covered by the assets of the protected person.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most estates settled within 9-12 months
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Financial Markets Authority (FMA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Public Trust works with FMA on compliance programmes, caps, and managed fund fees assessment trial. The FMA published guidance on ensuring managed fund fees represent good value for money, and Public Trust as licensed supervisor works with FMA on uniform application of guidelines.
• KiwiSaver Scheme ProviderscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublic Trust serves as supervisor for numerous KiwiSaver schemes including AMP, ASB, Booster, Generate, Fisher Funds, Koura, MAS, Pathfinder, Simplicity, Superlife, and others. This means assessing withdrawal applications and providing oversight.
• MyTroveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with MyTrove to help notify multiple organisations after someone has died. MyTrove allows users to notify agencies like Department of Internal Affairs, Inland Revenue, banks, insurers using one simple form. Public Trust and MyTrove aim to make the experience supportive and straightforward.
• Trustee Corporations Association (TCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate Trustee Services is an active industry participant and member of the Corporate Trustees Association CTA (formerly Trustee Corporations Association). Public Trust works with other TCA members on industry guidance including FMA guidance on managed fund fees.
• Financial Services Council of New Zealand (FSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSC Investment and KiwiSaver Committee approves guidelines for significant financial hardship and serious illness withdrawal applications that Public Trust follows as supervisor for multiple KiwiSaver schemes.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Trustees Executors: NZ trustee company providing estate administration, trust services, and corporate trustee services. One of Public Trust's main private-sector competitors in both personal and corporate trustee markets.
• Guardian Trust: NZ trust and estate administration firm offering wills, probate, trust management, and corporate trustee services. Directly comparable in personal and corporate trustee offerings to Public Trust.
• Perpetual Guardian: New Zealand trustee and estate planning company offering wills, EPAs, trusts, and estate administration. Directly competes with Public Trust across the full personal trustee services suite in the NZ market.
• New Zealand Permanent Trust: NZ trust company providing wills, estate administration, and trust services. Smaller scale direct competitor to Public Trust in the NZ personal trustee market.

Broad incumbents

• Craigs Investment Partners: NZ investment advisory firm offering wealth management, KiwiSaver supervision-adjacent services, and investment products. Comparable in KiwiSaver/investment supervision space and target market.
• Forsyth Barr: NZ investment advisory and wealth management firm with adjacent estate planning, KiwiSaver, and investment services. Comparable in investment product offerings but operates within broader wealth management context.
• ANZ Trustees: Trustee services arm of ANZ Bank New Zealand, offering estate planning and trust services as part of broader banking franchise. Competes with Public Trust but offers trustee services within a much larger financial services portfolio.

Regional players

• Perpetual Limited (Australia): Australian wealth manager with substantial trustee and estate services business. Comparable in corporate trustee and estate administration scope, but operates primarily in Australian markets with cross-Tasman relationships.
• Equity Trustees (Australia): Australian trustee and wealth services firm with corporate trustee services comparable to Public Trust's CTS division. Operates across the Tasman with similar product offerings but in Australian markets.

Emerging players

• Melbourne Securities Corporation (MSCI) / Adminis NZ: NZ fund administration and supervisor services firm providing corporate trustee-adjacent services. Comparable to Public Trust's CTS division in fund administration and supervision, though typically serves smaller schemes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/publictrustnz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/public-trust

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Public Trust Corporation