A discretionary family trust is a type of trust that provides for the distribution of trust assets to beneficiaries at the discretion of the trustee. It is commonly used in estate planning as a way to provide for the financial support of family members and to protect assets from creditors and lawsuits.

In a discretionary family trust, the trustee has the discretion to determine how much and when trust assets should be distributed to each beneficiary. This means that the trustee has the ability to make decisions about the distribution of assets based on the specific needs and circumstances of each beneficiary. The trustee may also choose not to make a distribution at all, which can be particularly useful if a beneficiary is unable to handle their own finances or is facing financial difficulty.