I am quite naive on these things and seems every time I talk to an accountant, things change.
Dale Gatherum Goss has posted here prolifically in the past and is an expert on trusts. Though I believe Dale has retired, but his business would still be worth talking to.
Some things to consider with trusts.
The setup and maintenance costs are significant. Therefore, you need to analyse the benefits vs the costs.
The main benefits are
- you protect your assets a little better if you are vulnerable to being sued personally, as in if you are a doctor.
- you are able to distribute the losses/profits to beneficiaries thus minimizing tax.
If you don't have a low income partner or other beneficiary in mind, then you are sort of stuck with distributing 100% to yourself. hence no benefit.
Also keep in mind that negatively geared assets, eventually become positively geared. In the early days, better to have the losses distributed to the high income earner, and when positively geared, to the low income earner/s.
Trusts don't get the 50% capital gains tax concession, afaik, therefore any distribution or protection advantage needs to be IRR'ed inclusive of that.
Anyway, as I say, you really need to talk to a specialist accountant when you get serious.