Straight answers to
fair questions.
Investing for your family shouldn't require a glossary. Here's everything people ask us, answered plainly.
What is Legacy?
Legacy is Ireland's first unified family investment platform — one app where you can manage your own Personal SIA, a Child Investment Account (Bare Trust) for your child, and automated Small Gift Exemption gifts from grandparents. We're currently pre-launch, with a target of 2027.
The best answer to this question is the story of why it exists: read the founder's note →
Is Legacy a bank?
No. Legacy is a technology platform for family investing. We don't hold deposits and we don't lend. Client assets are held in segregated accounts via a Tier-1 European-regulated custodian, separate from Legacy's own balance sheet.
Is Legacy regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland?
Not currently. Legacy is pre-launch and is not yet authorised or regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. We are in the process of establishing the regulatory partnerships necessary to operate our investment platform, and we are building compliance into the product from day one rather than bolting it on later.
We will update this answer as our regulatory status develops — being straight about this matters more to us than sounding impressive.
When does Legacy launch?
Our target is 2027, aligned with the expected introduction of Ireland's Savings and Investment Account (SIA) framework, which is currently in development by the Department of Finance. The timeline depends on legislation, so the honest answer is: as soon as the framework allows us to launch properly. Waitlist members will be the first to know.
What is a Bare Trust?
A Bare Trust is the simplest form of trust in Irish law, and it's how a child can hold investments before turning 18. An adult (usually a parent or guardian) acts as trustee and manages the account, but the money belongs to the child from day one — legally and irrevocably.
Normally setting one up means solicitors and paperwork. Legacy generates your trust deed automatically and guides you through Revenue registration step by step.
Who actually owns my child's money?
Your child does — from the moment the money goes in. That's the nature of a Bare Trust: gifts into it are irrevocable, and your child gains full control of the account when they turn 18.
This is worth sitting with before you start. It's what makes the structure tax-efficient, but it also means you can't take the money back, and an 18-year-old can spend it however they choose. We think the honest framing is: this is their money, you're just the steward of it.
What is the SIA?
The Savings and Investment Account is a proposed framework currently in development by the Department of Finance, with a target launch expected in 2027. Its aim is to make investing simpler and more accessible for ordinary Irish savers — a response to the roughly €170 billion sitting in low-yield deposit accounts.
The final shape of the SIA depends on legislation. Legacy is designed to integrate with the framework when it is legislated.
Can grandparents or relatives abroad contribute?
That's the plan — family doesn't stop at borders, and gifting from abroad is one of the reasons Legacy exists. Relatives will be able to gift into a child's account via a shared link, subject to identity verification and anti-money-laundering checks.
Cross-border gifts can have tax implications in both countries. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances — consult a tax adviser.
Is my money protected?
Client assets will be held in segregated accounts via a Tier-1 European-regulated custodian — separate from Legacy's own balance sheet. Segregation means your investments are yours: they are not Legacy's money and can't be used to pay Legacy's bills.
Protection from operational failure is different from protection from market movements: investments can fall in value, and that risk always remains with the investor.
What happens if Legacy goes out of business?
Because client assets are segregated with a regulated custodian rather than held by Legacy, they don't form part of Legacy's balance sheet. If Legacy ceased trading, your investments would remain yours and would be returned to you or transferred to another provider.
Few startups like answering this question. We think it's the most reasonable question on this page.
Can my investment lose value?
Yes. All investing carries risk: the value of investments can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you put in. Long time horizons — like the 18 years of a child's account — have historically helped smooth out market ups and downs, but past performance is not a guide to future returns, and nothing is guaranteed.
If you may need the money in the short term, investing may not be right for you.
What are the fees?
One number: total fees are capped at 1% per year, always. No exit fees, no hidden charges, no surprises. High fees are one of the quietest destroyers of long-term compounding, and we built Legacy's pricing around that fact.
What is the Small Gift Exemption?
The Small Gift Exemption (Section 69, CATCA 2003) currently allows any individual to gift up to €3,000 per recipient, per year, exempt from Capital Acquisitions Tax. These gifts also don't erode the recipient's lifetime CAT Group A threshold (currently €400,000 for gifts and inheritances from parents).
Most grandparents know it exists; almost none use it systematically. Legacy automates it.
Subject to Revenue rules. Tax treatment may change and depends on individual circumstances. This is not tax advice — consult a tax adviser.
Will I pay tax on investment growth?
In most cases, yes. Growth in fund-based investments held by Irish residents is generally subject to Irish exit tax, including a "deemed disposal" charge every eight years even if you haven't sold. The exact treatment depends on the investment type, the account structure, and your circumstances — and the incoming SIA framework may change the picture.
All projected figures on our site are shown before tax unless stated otherwise.
Tax treatment may change. This is not tax advice — consult a tax adviser.
What does joining the waitlist commit me to?
Nothing. It's free, there's no obligation to invest, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Waitlist members get priority access at launch and a say in what we build first.
Still have a question? Email us at info@legacyireland.com — a human reads every message.
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