To “birth” your Master Governing Instrument legally, you must file a Certificate of Trust with the Wyoming Secretary of State. This is a public document, but for a Statutory Trust, it is designed to be very brief to protect your privacy.
The most critical part for your “Series” strategy is including the Statutory Notice of Series Liability. Without this specific sentence on the public record, you might lose the legal “wall” between your sub-funds.
Wyoming Certificate of Trust (WST) Drafting Guide
1. Name of the Statutory Trust
The name must include a clear identifier.
- Example: “Blackwood Capital Statutory Trust” or “Sierra Holdings, a Wyoming Statutory Trust”.
2. Name and Address of the Trustee
Wyoming requires the name and business address of at least one trustee.
- Privacy Tip: To keep your personal name off the public record, many use a Wyoming LLC or a private trust company as the named Trustee here.
3. Registered Agent
You must list the name and physical Wyoming address of your Registered Agent. This is the person who accepts legal mail on your behalf.
4. The Critical “Series Notice” (Add to “Other Information”)
Under W.S. § 17-23-114 and 17-23-108, you should include the following exact language in the “Other Provisions” section of the state form:
“Pursuant to W.S. § 17-23-108, the Trust may have one or more series. The debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to a particular series shall be enforceable against the assets of that series only, and not against the assets of the trust generally or any other series thereof.”
Filing Facts for 2026
| Item | Requirement / Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing Fee | $100 (One-time setup) |
| Annual Report | $100 (Flat fee for Statutory Trusts) |
| Due Date | January 1st every year (Regardless of formation date) |
| Privacy | Settlors and Beneficiaries are not listed publicly. |
Your “Launch” Checklist:
- Sign the Master Instrument: Keep this in your private binder.
- File Certificate of Trust: Mail (or e-file) the $100 form to the Wyoming Secretary of State with the “Series Notice” included.
- Obtain a Master EIN: Get one tax ID for the “Parent” trust.
- Create your first Series: Use the Certificate of Designation we drafted earlier when you are ready to start your first fundraise.
Would you like me to walk you through how to get a separate EIN for a specific series once the Master Trust is live?