Recently, Hong Kong entertainment industry figure Madam Xiang publicly mentioned her intention to rewrite her will and adjust inheritance arrangements for the next generation. This once again reminds us of an important reality:

while a will may appear to be a simple tool that determines everything in one sentence, in practice, it carries far more potential risks than most people expect.

Most people hope that:

“After I pass away, everything will be handled exactly as written in my will.”

⚠️ The reality is:

A will is one of the most easily challenged and litigated inheritance tools — especially for individuals with substantial assets, complex cross-border wealth, or strained family relationships. Disputes can last for years.

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Why Are Wills So Risky in Real Life?

A will can only address “how assets are distributed after death.”

It cannot protect assets during one’s lifetime, nor can it achieve the following:

❌ Asset isolation

❌ Protection from creditor claims

❌ Prevention of reckless spending by heirs

❌ Protection against marital property disputes

❌ Protection from repeated legal scrutiny across multiple jurisdictions

For families with international assets, even a properly drafted will offers limited protection if no additional structures are in place.

Once a will becomes public, who receives more and who receives less is immediately visible, often triggering family conflict. Madam Xiang Tai’s public statement about excluding the second generation from inheritance is a classic example — whenever distributions are perceived as unequal or fail to meet expectations, disputes surface quickly.

When Is a Will Actually Appropriate?

For individuals with significant assets and complex family dynamics, a will is often better suited for:

• Small-value assets
• Personal mementos
• Supplementary arrangements

For large-scale and cross-border assets, more and more high-net-worth families are choosing a “trust + corporate structure” approach instead.

This allows families to define in advance:

• Who may use the assets
• Under what conditions
• In how many stages
• Over what period of time
  

— all written into a legal framework that operates during the settlor’s lifetime, not only after death.

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Why Trusts Offer Stronger Succession Protection

1. Separating Assets from the Individual

Once assets are placed into a trust, they are no longer legally considered the settlor’s personal property, but trust assets.

This separation helps shield assets from personal debt, business risks, and marital disputes — within lawful and compliant boundaries.

2. Addressing Risks Before Distribution

Many family problems do not arise from who receives assets, but from what happens after they receive them:

• Assets quickly used to repay debt
• Funds taken by former spouses
• Wealth rapidly squandered
  

Trusts allow these risks to be anticipated and addressed through carefully designed clauses — such as restrictions on pledging future distributions or limits on withdrawals under certain conditions.

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Will vs. Trust: A Fundamental Difference

A will merely states how assets should be divided.

A trust designs how assets are managed, protected, and used throughout a lifetime.

A will is more like a final instruction, not a complete succession strategy.

If the goal is not only to distribute wealth smoothly, but also to protect it and support loved ones over time, relying on a will alone is often far from sufficient.

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How Dreamer Group Can Help

At Dreamer Group, we specialize in helping clients integrate cross-border asset structures.

From personal trusts and family trusts, to offshore company formation, tax compliance, and international asset allocation, we build solutions grounded in structure and trust.

By serving as a bridge between jurisdictions and generations, we help families and enterprises create stable, forward-looking, and globally competitive wealth frameworks.

Let every global strategy become a cornerstone of your dreams.

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