• The biggest tax?

  Tax is an emotive subject for people and no tax is more emotive than Inheritance Tax.  The thinking goes that if one has paid tax on income, on profits and on capital gains throughout one’s life it seems to be unfair that the resultant wealth is taxed again upon death.

• Life Interest Trusts – a useful Will structure for blended families

  In our modern society, it is common for family units to include parents in their second marriages, with children from both marriages or previous relationships. Such blended families may include step-parents and step-children and step-siblings and half-siblings. A frequent concern of couples with children from a previous relationship or marriage…

• Partnerships

  For the purposes of this piece, I will be solely focussing on The Partnership Act 1980 however, it is worth mentioning there is more than one partnership such as Limited Liability Partnerships which I will not be discussing in this piece. A partnership is legally formed by two or more…

• What’s the plan?

  A desire to engage in tax or estate planning is typically driven by a particular event that forces one to consider both one’s own future and the welfare of dependants.  It may be that one loses their parents, one sells a business or otherwise one goes through a major life…

• Taxation in multiple jurisdictions – the importance of understanding Double Taxation Treaties

  Where an individual has assets in multiple jurisdictions, it is vital to consider the impact of taxation in one jurisdiction in the context of another. An overall approach to worldwide wealth must be considered, especially where there is a tax liability incurred in a jurisdiction in which the individual is…

• What is the difference between a share allotment and a share transfer?

  Shares are issued in a company for various reasons, one of which being to raise money. The amount paid on the shares contributes to the total amount of capital in the company. The holder of the new shares will become a shareholder i.e. part owner of the company. Shares can…

• Democracy in Business

  I am writing this article on 4th May 2023 which, importantly, is Star Wars Day. It is perhaps just as importantly the date of the Local Elections in England.  This has made me think more about democracy and, more particularly for the purposes of this article, how democracy might look…

• Risks of gifting in inheritance tax planning

  Individuals can have different motivations behind gifting assets – some people wish to make provision for another relative to ensure that they are financially stable, others have a focus on reducing the value of their own estate for inheritance tax purposes, and indeed there can be a combination of factors…

• Family Investment Companies- Funding through Loans vs Subscriptions

  A Family Investment Company (FIC) is a company structure designed to be owned and managed by family members. If created and run correctly a FIC can be useful in protecting wealth against, for example, divorce. A FIC can be beneficial if you are seeking to create a legacy from which…