Common Questions

Passing on wealth to the people that matter to you, in the most effective and tax-efficient way

It’s about having a lasting impact for the benefit of the next generations of your family, after you’ve gone. Done properly, your legacy can outlive you, and your loved ones

Happiness is not about getting all you want, it’s about enjoying all you have, then passing it intact to the next generation

So, let’s fix the future..

We partner with you to aim to preserve your family legacy for the next generation

We need to be in your shoes to understand the pain, difficulties and challenges behind how you made all the effort to be where you are now

Ideally, plan slowly and involve everyone, or your family may think there’s been a neurological event!

We bring together subject matter experts from across the professions to aim to produce comprehensive, bespoke and dynamic client outcomes

For your peace of mind, all tax advice is provided, in writing,  by fully qualified, practising Chartered Tax Advisors..

The legacy planning process is similar, but different, for everyone. How you perceive your ‘goal’ has a tremendous impact on whether you achieve it or not, and how long it takes. Systems work, people fail

It starts with a plan of action and requires the drive and energy to see it through

Having an external drumbeat to push you to make progress is really helpful, often more than you realise

Sometimes it takes years for family legacy planning to find focus but, typically, it’ll take 6 to 12 months..

Oftentimes, the biggest hurdle to planning is you, and your ego

You’re standing in your own way, but remember, your brilliance, your cleverness, your indispensability, all die when you do

Before you plan, invest time in knowing your landscape. Be attuned to the facts, the circumstances, the players involved and knowing how the issues are perceived by everyone involved, and not just your point of view

Knowing what you don’t know is more useful than being brilliant. Most people spend their lives wrestling with the consequences of poor decisions

Do nothing and it’ll be clear to everyone that you, and you alone, are responsible for the downfall of your family’s legacy

Your ego got in the way, leaving your family to deal with the consequences of your choices..

Your life on this earth will come to an end, that much is guaranteed. If you own anything of real value, there will be death duties, that’s guaranteed too

It’s entirely legal to plan but, if you don’t, the tax authority will confiscate 40% of your entire lifetime’s work, and each of, say, your 3 daughters, will receive just 20%

Do you really like the taxman more than your kids?

If the answer is ‘yes’, here’s some help telling your children: ‘One day kids, 60% of our lifetime’s work will be yours – we’ve decided to give the other 40% to the taxman.!’

No decision is still a decision, and leaves your family to deal with the consequences of your choices

You can be remembered one of two ways – ‘Nobody like me.!’ or ‘Nobody likes me.!’

‘History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon’
Napoleon Bonaparte

Think of it as an investment in the future of your family

As with all things, there are two costs. The cost of doing nothing, and the cost of doing something

Broadly, the cost of dying without a tax efficient will cost family of doing nothing is 40% of your entire worth, less a few allowances. The cost of doing something could be as little as 1%, or less..

Of course, everyone should contribute their fair share to the financing of public expenditure everyone benefits from

What we want is honesty and integrity in a transparent tax system, upon which we can all rely

What we’ve got is a tax system that was based on a level of integrity which no longer exists, neither among taxpayers, nor within the tax authority, or the framework of government within which it operates

The UK tax system is a mess. It’s is a jumble of complexities, inconsistencies and iniquities, where less expert tax payers pay most. You may have control of the ball, but the playing field belongs to HMRC

The taxman will battle you every step of the way, and it won’t stop when you’re dead. Inheritance Tax is payable by default, but only if you do not plan ahead

Using legal, long-established planning, well in advance, Inheritance Tax in the UK is entirely voluntary..

It all starts with a plan of action, and requires the drive and energy to see it through

Start by taking control of planning your life. We’re talking about deliberate actions that will compound so that your efforts could be making a difference 100 years from now. Do it right and it could positively impact your family for generations to come

Before you plan, invest time in knowing your landscape

Be attuned to the facts, the circumstances, the players involved and knowing how the issue is perceived by everyone involved, and not just your point of view..

Your circumstances very likely will change, and your planning needs to aim to accommodate those changes

You work with us to tell us your goals. We’ll plan for whatever legal outcome you want, and build in the flexibility to accommodate anything you’ve missed, and we’ve experienced before

Keep enough under your control to cope with changes and emergencies

You can choose have our Chartered Tax Advisors handle everything for you going forward, and that can include probate for your family and loved ones when you die..

We only work for clients who care, really care, about their family and how to pass on the legacy they have created during their lifetime..

It’s an option but, frankly, probably a silly one

Assets can be given away with timeframes, ranging from immediately to 7 years, applying to their effectiveness from an Inheritance Tax planning perspective

Logically, consider gifting some assets and retaining others, because none of us knows what the future may hold..

This is particularly complex subject matter with many classes of assets and ownership models

Typically, the answer is ‘no’ but there are exceptions. You may not need to give everything away. Let’s talk..

Remember, your knowledge, your experience, your indispensability all die when you do

We’ll do all your legacy planning for you, then we’ll maintain it and keep it completely up to date as rules, regulations, legislation and your wishes change

Then, when you die, our team of Chartered Tax Advisors can handle probate for, or with, your loved ones, in line with your plans and wishes..