• Services we provide banner

    Wealth Structuring Legal Services

When managing wealth, individuals and families usually have two main objectives - to have sufficient funds to support their lifestyle, and to ensure their estate is distributed fairly according to their wishes after they die.

While there is a valid and interesting economic debate to be had around whether tax increases as opposed to tax competitiveness are the way forward, we encourage you to take action now in line with your own family values and objectives, rather than short term tax implications. This is the most important place to start ahead of documenting your wishes in a Will.

What do I need to consider when drafting a Will?

A Will is perhaps the most important document a person ever signs. If you die without making a Will, then it is left to the law to determine who inherits your property and who is responsible for administering your estate and distributing your property. This may lead to unwanted and/or uncertain succession and tax consequences. The process of preparing a Will ensures that loved ones are provided for in the manner you want, and offers great peace of mind.  It also gives the opportunity to consider the likely tax exposure on your death, avoiding any unnecessary payments.

How can I ensure my Will is utilising the most efficient structure for my personal and family values?

We will work with you to help you grow, preserve and distribute your wealth amongst the generations during your lifetime and after death. The ways in which you can manage this vary depending on your personal circumstances and the tax requirements at any given time. These could involve lifetime giving or holding assets through trusts and other asset protection structures.

These structures will also depend on your residency and domicile status, whether your assets are currently held in trusts, or whether you are a landowner or business owner, with assets in either the UK or abroad. We are able to assess your personal circumstances in the round, and find pragmatic and commercial solutions to complex situations. Please click on the links above to find out more about how we advise you in these specific circumstances.

Probate and estate administration: What will happen following my death?

It is important that these matters are administered sensitively and efficiently. We can assist with anything and everything that is required following a death including:

  • obtaining grants of representation (typically, a grant of probate) both overseas and in the UK;
  • advising on complex succession issues;
  • advising executors (together or individually) on their responsibilities; 
  • providing a full tax compliance service in estate administration and to ensure the most tax effective devolution of the estate; and
  • advising on beneficiary’s / beneficiaries’ rights.

We are frequently asked to co-ordinate the winding up of international estates, often with assets of substantial value held in a variety of jurisdictions. For more information about this, please click here.

For more information about trust establishment and administration, please click here.

The strength of the department is in the breadth. They have an advantage over other firms in having a much broader scope."

Chambers High Net Worth 2022

Charles Russell Speechlys "have industry stalwarts and are known for their expert knowledge and experience."

Chambers High Net Worth 2022

Meet our weath structuring lawyers

Related pages

Family Office Legal Services

Family Offices

For wealthy families looking to set up a family office.

Find out more
International Wealth Structuring Legal Services

International Wealth Structuring

We advise international individuals, and their trustees and advisers, on the establishment and administration of asset holding structures.

Find out more
Mental Capacity & Court of Protection Legal Services

Mental Capacity & Court of Protection

For those preparing documents to help protect finances and welfare when you no longer have the capacity to act.

Find out more
Philanthropy Legal Services

Philanthropy

For philanthropists and sustainable investors.

Find out more
Private Property Legal Services

Private Property

For those with personal property assets or those looking to purchase them.

Find out more
Private Wealth Lawyers

Private Wealth

We enable people to make the most of their wealth now and in the future. No other private wealth law firm has the scale, reach and breadth of services. 

Find out more
Private Wealth Disputes

Private Wealth Disputes

We provide tailored solutions for all varieties of domestic and international disputes for families and private wealth professionals. 

Find out more
Reputation Management Lawyers

Reputation Management

Our team of experienced media dispute specialists is highly attuned to advising private individuals on ‘reputation management’ issues.

Find out more
Tax Disputes & Investigation Lawyers

Tax Disputes & Investigations

Handling disputes and investigations for you across all areas of tax.

Find out more
UK Trust Establishment, Administration & Taxation Lawyers

UK Trust Establishment, Administration & Taxation

For those wishing to utilise trust structures and the administration of this.

Find out more
Pricing information

Our thinking

  • Overview of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill: What are the key provisions?

    Laura Bushaway

    Insights

  • Home buyers and sellers hit by cyber-attack

    William Marriott

    Quick Reads

  • International Relocation: The Parent Trap 25 years on ...

    Joshua Green

    Quick Reads

  • Autumn Statement provides little comfort for farmers and landowners

    Hannah Connors

    Quick Reads

  • Spears quotes Piers Master on the Harrington Review of Foreign Direct Investment

    Piers Master

    In the Press

  • Top Tips to Building your Brand - Women in Chancery

    Katelyn Silver

    Quick Reads

  • What next for residential property? Autumn Statement Update

    William Marriott

    Quick Reads

  • Property118 schemes for landlords – a mistake worth fixing?

    Hugh Gunson

    Insights

  • The statutory residence test

    Dominic Lawrance

    Insights

  • Split year treatment

    Dominic Lawrance

    Insights

  • World renowned theatre producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh unveiled as latest guest on ‘Client Conversations’ podcast from Charles Russell Speechlys

    Simon Ridpath

    News

  • Client Conversations Podcast: Sir Cameron Mackintosh

    Simon Ridpath

    Podcasts

  • Sarah Wray writes for International Adviser on what might be in store for personal taxation under a potential Labour government

    Sarah Wray

    In the Press

  • Professional Adviser quotes Julia Cox on possible IHT reform if the Labour Party win the next general election

    Julia Cox

    In the Press

  • Labour government - potential change to cohabitation laws?

    Sarah Anticoni

    Quick Reads

  • The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023: 6 Key Changes to Trust Reporting under the Register of Overseas Entities

    Dominic Lawrance

    Insights

  • Removal from EU tax blacklist: what this means for British Virgin Islands

    Oliver Cooper

    Quick Reads

  • Tax Concessions for Family Offices in Hong Kong

    Jeffrey Lee

    Insights

  • Hong Kong Halves Stamp Duty for Non-Permanent Residents and Stamp Duty Suspension for Overseas Talents

    Jovanne Zee

    Insights

  • Succession planning considerations for the 21st century

    Oliver Little

    Insights

  • Balfour structuring for rural Estates: what might be next?

    Sarah Wray

    Insights

  • Presale Planning: The Protection of Private Wealth in the Event of a Business Sale, Flotation or Liquidity Event

    Mike Barrington

    Insights

  • Bloomberg quotes Piers Master on the impact a potential labour government could have on UHNWs across the UK

    Piers Master

    In the Press

  • Visiting the UK over the next 2 years? You may need a pre-arrival Electronic Travel Authorisation

    Paul McCarthy

    Quick Reads

  • Will increasing taxes for foreign buyers fix the UK housing crisis?

    Rebecca Day

    Quick Reads

  • Game of Homes: Transatlantic Disputes

    Cara Fung

    Quick Reads

  • A Labour government: what might be in store for personal taxation?

    Sarah Wray

    Quick Reads

  • Spears quotes Piers Master on the potential exodus of UHNW non-doms from the UK ahead of a potential Labour government

    Piers Master

    In the Press

  • Investment Week quotes Julia Cox on the proposed scrapping of inheritance tax

    Julia Cox

    In the Press

  • Heritage property and conditional exemption

    Sarah Wray

    Insights

  • Sarah Higgins and David Wells-Cole write for Wealth Briefing on the pitfalls of using unregulated legal services

    Sarah Higgins

    In the Press

  • 5 top tips to make estate administration easier for your executor

    Jessica Dawkins

    Quick Reads

  • The Family Fund: Bank of Mum & Dad 2.0

    Vanessa Duff

    Quick Reads

  • Inside Britney and Sam’s $10m prenup

    Shivi Rajput

    Quick Reads

  • Oops!....I did it again - Britney's third divorce

    Charlotte Posnansky

    Quick Reads

  • NSPCC urges Government to protect children from domestic abuse during holidays

    Shivi Rajput

    Quick Reads

  • A brief look at HMRC v A Taxpayer [2023] UKUT 00182 (TCC)

    Dominic Lawrance

    Quick Reads

  • ATED and the farmhouse

    Sarah Wray

    Quick Reads

  • Recognising financial abuse in a relationship

    Vanessa Duff

    Quick Reads

  • Atonement and post separation endeavour: wife keeps £1m gift from husband after his affair and will receive a share of his business’ future profits

    Sophia Leeder

    Quick Reads

Back to top