Caroline Miller
- Partner
- Private Client
Welcome to the latest edition of In Trust. In this edition, we take a look at some key updates affecting private clients and their estate planning.
The Autumn Budget 2024 included important announcements that will shape the economy in the years ahead, alongside a range of tax changes that have already made headlines. Not all these changes are being introduced immediately, meaning there is time to reflect and plan accordingly. We highlight some planning areas to consider in our first article below “Tax planning tips for 2025” whilst the proposed pension tax changes are explored in our article “Pensions and Inheritance Tax: Uneasy bedfellows?”.
We hope you find the articles in this edition insightful, and should you require any further assistance please contact your usual Wedlake Bell adviser.
In this issue…
- Tax planning tips for 2025 – from making use of available tax reliefs to selling your business, the start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to review your financial planning and it is particularly important to do so following the significant reforms announced in the Autumn Budget in 2024.
- Lifetime gifts to children: lead with planning not legal presumptions – we consider whether lifetime gifts are automatically taken off the share a child will receive under the donor’s Will and how to ensure the donor’s wishes on this are known.
- Funeral arrangements and disposition of remains: a need for reform? – a 2024 case found the governing law around the disposition of loved ones’ remains to be inconclusive and unfit for modern needs. This has triggered a Law Commission review. We look at the facts of the case.
- Pensions and Inheritance Tax: Uneasy bedfellows? – we dive into the intricacies of pensions and inheritance tax following the Autumn Budget in October 2024.
In the Press…
- Congratulations to our Senior Partner Camilla Wallace on winning Tax & Trusts lawyer of the year at The Spear’s Magazine Awards. Her dedication to clients and commitment to preservation of mental health in the workplace earned her top prize at one of the most prestigious award ceremonies in the private wealth space.
- Matt Braithwaite features in The Family Business Podcast to discuss the findings of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners’ latest research into family business succession. Matt discusses the importance of succession planning for family businesses and the impact of the UK’s Autumn Budget 2024. Listen here.
- Our Private Client, Art & Luxury and Residential Property teams all feature in the 10th edition of The Spear’s 500, recognised as one the most respected publications in the private wealth market. Twelve of Wedlake Bell’s team feature in the guide. Read more here.
- Wedlake Bell has been shortlisted for Law Firm of the Year – London and Art Advisory Law Firm of the Year in Citywealth’s Magic Circle Awards 2025. Online public voting accounts for 10% of the judging. You can vote for our teams here.
Meet the team: