Family Foundation in DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre)
DIFC, the UAE’s leading financial center, offers the opportunity to register foundations for family wealth management. These foundations not only meet confidentiality requirements but also provide access to DIFC’s advanced banking and financial infrastructure.
Key Benefits:
Process and Timeline*
*Practical timelines are based on recent registrations by Smart Advisors Group; actual timing depends on the client’s promptness in providing required information.
Service Fees
Why Choose Smart Advisors Group?
Frequently Asked Questions
DIFC offers common law, its own courts, strong confidentiality and access to Dubai's banking infrastructure. A DIFC foundation can also hold Dubai real estate.
Assets transferred to the foundation belong to the foundation, not the founder, so they are not part of the founder's estate and pass to beneficiaries under the by-laws instead of default inheritance rules.
Details of the founder and beneficiaries are not publicly available and are disclosed only to the regulator and authorities when required.
In most cases the foundation can be treated as tax transparent or exempt, and distributions are not subject to UAE withholding tax. Beneficiaries declare income in their country of tax residence.
Yes, a registered address in DIFC.
Yes. After registration we obtain the immigration card and, if required, visas (1–2 weeks), and help open a bank account.
Depends on several factors such as number of UBOs and legal work that needs to be done. The certificate is issued in about 10–15 business days.
