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Trusts & Estates

Advice and insight to ensure effective succession planning and preservation of wealth

Understanding your needs

We understand that when it comes to managing future wealth, navigating the complexities of Trusts and Estates and the associated tax implications can be incredibly complex.

Indeed, the question “should I create a Trust for my family?” is one that we hear time and again.

Despite various tax changes to trusts, they remain a very useful and tax efficient method of passing your wealth on to the next generations.

Our people, your partners

Our team of expert private client advisers has many years’ experience advising on trusts and estates at all stages of their lifecycle.

We look after everything from very large and complex trusts and estates, to basic will trusts which may only contain a small number of assets.  Irrespective of size and value, we treat all matters, with the same respect, care and attention to detail.

Types of trusts

There are a variety of trust arrangements, which can be created during lifetime but also on death.

If you are a business owner and have worked hard to build up value over your working lifetime, trusts can be used to pass on part of your wealth whilst retaining full control of the business. With the right planning, this can be done without incurring a tax charge.

Lifetime giving to trusts should not be overlooked.  In its most basic form, you can transfer value to a trust up to the nil rate band (currently £325,000) without incurring a tax charge – couples can double up to £650,000.

This strategy can be recycled every 7 years, meaning that significant value can be built up outside of your estate for future generations.

What about charitable giving?

Philanthropy and charitable giving are increasingly popular and using a family charitable trust to achieve your philanthropic objectives is a convenient and efficient method of charitable giving.

This is something which is very much supported by the Government and the tax benefits of putting money into a charitable trust can increase the amount gifted to the trust, as well as being tax efficient for you.

Charitable Trusts also offer the opportunity for the next generation to become involved in decision making by appointing them as co-trustees alongside you, to ensure they continue your legacy into the future.

Executors of estates

As an Executor, administering an estate can be extremely time consuming and complex at what is an already difficult time for families following a bereavement.

Our expert advisers will work with you to take on some of the administrative and technical burden for you.

We will work seamlessly with your solicitor to ensure that the whole process is dealt with efficiently and with the utmost care and consideration.

Wills – avoiding unintended consequences

Changes in legislation over the years can mean that a will does not achieve the objectives intended at the time it was written. Or, as beneficiaries’ lives move on, the will may not always achieve the best outcome for your family.

We have extensive experience in tax planning using wills and we can advise where, perhaps, unintended outcomes may scupper intended objectives.

We will liaise with your solicitor in this regard, to ensure that the deceased’s objectives are met as tax efficiently and as appropriately as possible.

How we can help

Our services cover:

UK trusts and estates

  • UK tax reporting for trusts, including trust tax returns and inheritance tax returns
  • Accounts & administration
  • Charitable trust creation, administration and compliance
  • Estate administration, accounting and inheritance tax reporting
  • Deeds of variation and post death planning

Offshore trusts

  • Trust tax returns and compliance with HMRC, including inheritance tax, ATED and non-resident CGT returns
  • Support to non-resident trustees with capital gains and relevant income computations, and record keeping
  • Risk review of offshore trusts and associated entities, such as offshore companies and foundations
  • Disclosure of offshore structures to HMRC and settling outstanding tax liabilities

Contact John

John Bull 2024
John Bull
Partner, Head of Private Client
View John's profile