A good, balanced approach to financial planning can mitigate or minimise the effects of Inheritance Tax. Claire Emery, Partner at Elsby & Co believes it’s your accountant who may be best placed to act as the important link between your business affairs and wealth and estate planning.
Many SMEs using accountancy firms build their businesses diligently over many years, but rarely do they look at themselves and analyse the protection they have in place, where their pensions and investments are, or the succession plan for their business. Just as (if not more) important is what happens in the event of death. Are your loved once catered for with clearly laid plans, or is your estate likely to be something of a minefield?
The link with tax planning, exit planning and estate planning is so strong that it can easily be argued that financial services and estate planning should be a natural domain of the accounting profession. As accountants, we’re blessed with a very holistic view: we have all the relevant information from company accounts, tax returns and client interviews. What we can input into the overall wealth management and asset protection process is so much more important than any other professional adviser. An IFA has to ask for all the documentation that we already hold – a strong argument as to why your accountant should be the first port of call to help make the necessary arrangements for your wealth management needs and wider succession and estate planning.
How can we support you?
As accountants, we can do so much more than complete your tax return or provide a set of year-end numbers. We can help to protect clients against future liabilities and financial pitfalls. It’s true that many accountants prefer to stick to compliance work such as accounts, audit and tax return, where there’s less scope for using professional judgement. At Elsby, we’ve taken steps to position the business as a true one-stop-shop for clients.
With the launch earlier in the year of Elsby Wealth Management we’re able to not only advise on the accounting needs of clients, but with a simple introduction to our Wealth Management arm, we can ensure our clients can make the most of such things as dividend payments and tax planning to maximise their investment options.
Using a range of pensions, investments, funds and financial planning techniques to maximise the value of your assets can help you manage your finances to ensure you’re meeting your business and personal wealth needs both now and in the future.
Many companies provide pensions and investment advice, but few companies are as uniquely placed as Elsby to deliver a consultant-led approach towards your planning, delivering accountancy and advisory support with the integration of wealth and asset management solutions.
Accounting advice and wealth management are perfect partners and so much more so if the information and knowledge can be factored into the estate planning process. With the imminent launch of Elsby Estate Planning, there has never been a better time to review your accounting arrangements to ensure you can benefit from a holistic ‘360 degree’ approach to your accounting, wealth management and estate planning needs.
If you would like to hear more, please e-mail claire.emery@elsbyandco.co.uk or Andy Kennedy (Director of Elsby Wealth Management) andrew.kennedy@elsbywm.co.uk.