Impact | Trust
For Families & Philanthropy | Liechtenstein
For Families & Philanthropy.
Impact Trust AG is a fiduciary company established in the Principality of Liechtenstein. We design, set up and administer family and philanthropic structures for an international clientele, with particular expertise in serving French-speaking families.
Our mission is to help individuals and families preserve their wealth, express their values, and pass on both assets and values across generations.
Family foundations
Secure, enduring frameworks for wealth and legacy.
Philanthropic structures
Align your values with strategic philanthropy.
Cross-border structuring
Designed for international families with complex needs.
Legacy with purpose
We believe that passing on wealth is not the end of a story, but the beginning of another. Whether you are planning a family foundation or a philanthropic initiative, we are here to shape with you a future with meaning.
The charitable foundation in Liechtenstein
For families and individuals, particularly from France and the French-speaking world, who wish to dedicate part of their wealth to a lasting cause, the Liechtenstein charitable foundation offers a stable, supervised framework built to last. We guide you in French, English or German, from the first idea to the day-to-day life of the foundation.
A purpose serving the public
Charitable purposes are those whose fulfilment benefits the general public, in particular in the charitable, humanitarian, scientific, cultural, social, sporting or ecological fields (Art. 107(4a) PGR).
Public supervision
The Foundation Supervisory Authority ensures that the foundation’s assets are managed and used in line with its purpose, based on the auditor’s annual report (Art. 7 StRV). A mark of trust for founders and beneficiaries alike.
Tax exemption on application
The tax administration exempts, on application, foundations pursuing exclusively and irrevocably charitable purposes without a profit motive (Art. 4(2) SteG), and checks every year that the conditions are still met (Art. 3 SteV).
Some examples of causes: scholarships, research funding, preservation of cultural heritage, environmental protection, humanitarian aid.
From France, step by step
- A first conversation: in Paris by appointment, in Vaduz or remotely, to understand your project and your situation.
- The mission: defining the cause served, the beneficiaries and the assets dedicated to the foundation.
- The deeds: drafting the foundation deed and by-laws, composing the foundation council.
- Establishment: setting up the foundation, appointing the auditor and applying for tax exemption.
- Life of the foundation: administration, annual accounts, grant decisions and dialogue with the supervisory authority.
What we do for your foundation
- Establishment: setting up the foundation, deeds and formalities.
- Foundation council: Impact Trust can serve on the foundation council.
- Representation in Liechtenstein: representative and registered office of the foundation in Vaduz.
- Authorities: Foundation Supervisory Authority, tax administration, auditor.
- Governance: good governance of the foundation, family governance, family constitution and next-generation preparation.
Frequently asked questions
Family foundation or charitable foundation: what is the difference?
A family foundation serves the members of a family. A charitable foundation serves the general public (Art. 107(4a) PGR) and is subject to the Foundation Supervisory Authority (Art. 7 StRV). We help you choose the form that matches your intention.
Who oversees a charitable foundation?
An auditor reviews the foundation every year, and its report is the basis of the Foundation Supervisory Authority’s oversight (Art. 7 StRV). An exemption from appointing an auditor may be requested where the foundation’s assets are below CHF 750,000 and it does not publicly solicit donations (Art. 5 StRV).
Is the foundation tax-exempt?
In Liechtenstein, exemption is granted on application where the purposes are exclusively and irrevocably charitable, without a profit motive (Art. 4(2) SteG). The tax consequences in the country of residence, such as France, for the founder, the donations and the beneficiaries are a separate question, reviewed case by case before any decision.
How does the support work from France?
In French, English or German. Maximilien Marxer, avocat at the Paris Bar and lawyer and notary in Liechtenstein, leads the legal work. Impact Trust AG, a fiduciary company licensed and supervised by the FMA, then administers the foundation in Vaduz.
How are fees set?
After a first conversation, we provide a written fee agreement setting out how our fees are calculated, before you make any commitment.
Maximilien Marxer | Cofounder & General manager
Maximilien Marxer is a lawyer and notary based in Liechtenstein, with a dual background in law and international affairs. A graduate of universities in France, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, he has worked across the trust, legal and philanthropic sectors for over a decade. A founding partner of Impact Trust AG, he focuses on governance, cross-border structures and the ethical deployment of private capital.
Anita Laternser | Cofounder & Client advisor
Anita Laternser brings over 40 years of experience in the Liechtenstein banking and fiduciary sectors, where she has held key roles in client services, governance and regulatory compliance. With deep institutional knowledge and a sharp understanding of international private wealth structures, she now supports philanthropic and impact-driven projects with the same precision and integrity that have defined her career.