Insights

Every year sees thousands of divorces and endings of civil partnerships. These can often result in significant financial issues for the separating parties and problems can be exacerbated when there are children involved. Not only has the ongoing ownership of assets to be determined, or split, but maintenance might have to be paid. Assets such as pensions will also need to be considered.

Gerry Brown examines why potential tax changes mean financial planners and paraplanners need to start preparing to help clients, and looks at some of the things that the Chancellor might do in the upcoming budget.

Gerry Brown explains why financial advisers and paraplanners need to pay attention to the upcoming changes in Capital Gains Tax.

Have you recently graduated or just left school? Perhaps you’re thinking about what to study at university? Whatever stage you’re at, if you like a challenge, working in a team and solving problems, a career in finance could be for you.

The UK Parliament’s Treasury Committee has established an inquiry into the tax reliefs available to individuals and businesses to find out where they benefit the broader economy. Gerry Brown looks at the scope of the inquiry and whether it might lead to changes in the tax system.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has recently issued a consultation paper on income tax and low-income trusts. The proposals would formalise and extend an existing arrangement that affects many trustees. Gerry Brown unpicks and explains what’s in the proposals and highlights what you need to know as a paraplanner.

HMRC’s approach to tax avoidance schemes has evolved relatively slowly over the past 20 years. Gerry Brown considers the many provisions, rules and consultations, that HMRC has undertaken and whether financial advisers and paraplanners may come HMRC scrutiny.

Despite your best intentions, it can be difficult to keep up with continuous professional development (CPD) and find something worth doing. Our expert professionals share their top tips on how to approach CPD.

Paraplanners and financial planners work to long timescales. The outcome of pension and investment planning will often not be apparent for decades. So paraplanners need to think long term, examine the evolving tax landscape and consider how it might impact clients.