Experience
Nicola qualified into the Private Client Advisory Team in September 2016, having completed her training contract with Birketts. She is based in the Chelmsford office.
Nicola advises on a wide variety of private client matters including UK succession and tax planning for individuals, which often involves the preparation of Wills, a review of the Inheritance Tax position and lifetime gifts. Nicola has a particular interest in advising business owners in their estate planning and works alongside her colleagues in the Corporate department. Nicola enjoys working alongside clients’ accountants and financial advisors to provide joined-up advice to the client.
Nicola also deals with estate administration and has dealt with a large variety of estates, including those with assets abroad and individuals who die domiciled abroad but with assets in the UK. As part of estate work, Nicola advises on Deeds of Variation where individuals inherit but find they would rather pass on their inheritance down the generations tax efficiently.
Nicola advises on Lasting Powers of Attorney, for those who want to appoint an attorney to make property and financial or health and care decisions on their behalf, and Deputyship Orders, for family members of individuals who have lost capacity and do not have an attorney appointed to make decisions on their behalf.
Nicola can assist with trust work, including creating trusts, appointment and removal of trustees, advice to trustees and beneficiaries on the terms of existing trusts and taxation and appointments out of trusts. Nicola works alongside the trust administration and taxation team to provide a well-rounded service to clients.
Nicola advises individuals on purchasing property for children and how that might be structured tax efficiently but also to achieve the individual’s objectives. Where two or more individuals buy a property together and hold unequal shares or provide unequal deposits, Nicola can prepare Declarations of Trust to record the ownership shares and specify how the value in the property should be split on sale or death as well as who should be responsible for outgoings and maintenance.
Nicola enjoys advising a wide variety of clients on a number of different areas.