Private clients need tax advice to navigate an ever more complicated world

While the importance of having well-structured assets and succession plans remains for private clients, the past decade has seen a change in what is acceptable from a tax planning perspective and an increased focus on global transparency. Clients need to consider the perception of what they do as much as the legal effectiveness.

For some families, this is compounded by having to consider overseas tax and legal regimes, possibly because a family member has settled elsewhere or the family has acquired non-UK assets,  Similarly, this can happen in reverse with historically non-UK families either having family members come to live here or acquiring UK assets.  The range of investment opportunities available to families has also grown, as well as the vehicles for holding those investments.

Osborne Clarke's Private Wealth team has the skills and experience to guide clients through these complexities. The team covers all the areas that you might expect from private client lawyers, such as wills, lasting powers of attorney, trusts and investment companies. However, working with colleagues in Osborne Clarke's wider teams, the Private Wealth team can also help you form private investment funds, find the optimal structure for a new business venture or investment and support family office arrangements.

The Private Wealth team also understands the wider issues that clients might face. For international clients, this can include succession laws or conflicting legal regimes. For business owners, the issues might be providing liquidity on death or how to structure succession whilst keeping those involved in the management properly incentivised. For many families, these business and international issues overlap. Osborne Clarke's trust and estate dispute experts can also help when things go wrong or there are disagreements about the division of estates or operations of trusts.

In addition to our strong UK and wider European client base, Osborne Clarke's Private Wealth team act for clients from the Middle East,  Far East, Europe and Africa. The team is also recognised for its work for families with a US connection, whether that be through family members being US taxpayers or because they have interests in US businesses or trusts. The team has extensive experience advising family offices with both a domestic and an international aspect to the structuring of their affairs.

The past decade has seen a change in what is acceptable from a tax planning perspective and an increased focus on global transparency."

Experience

Tech entrepreneurs

We act for a wide range of tech entrepreneurs, whose businesses range from funding platforms through to product design. We advise on appropriate business structures, how to manage their tax exposure on an exit and structuring their assets thereafter, including any charitable interests.

Property business

We act for the owner of a global property development business. We advise on all elements of estate planning and, in particular, how to use trusts to make best use of IHT business property relief.

Food business owner

We act for the founder of a food manufacturing business, which owns many household brands. Our client was born in the UK, but is now resident in Monaco and has properties around the world. He has family members in various jurisdictions including the US.

UK property portfolio

We advised on the structuring of a substantial UK property portfolio for a Middle Eastern family, as well as on the establishment of a series of non-UK trusts to provide for the educational and medical needs of future generations.

Private family

Advised a family on the structure of their assets following a significant business sale, including the establishment of trusts, forming a private investment company and preparing wills.

UK resident US citizen

Advised a UK resident US citizen on the UK tax implications of receiving payments from a series of US trusts and companies set up by her parents.

Jersey trust company

Advised a Jersey trust company on the tax implications of distributing a fund to UK resident beneficiaries including the correct treatment of historical income and gains accrued in UK and BVI companies.

Estate of a UK-resident foreign national

Administered the estate of a UK-resident foreign national with interests in non-UK foundations and companies.

UK trust company

Advised a UK trust company in relation to a tax investigation concerning one of its trusts, advising on its duties to the beneficiaries, potential liabilities and strategy to resolve the enquiry.

Offshore entities

Successfully resolved a substantial tax disclosure under the LDF amnesty scheme, reviewing and analysing the affairs of fifteen offshore entities over a period of fourteen years.

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