Matthew Woods

Partner | London


Client services contact Laura Wilson

Matthew is a partner in the private client and tax team.

Key to his success is in advising clients on how to hold and retain family assets and businesses and the effective transfer to successive generations. He has the ability to listen and understand the objectives and aims of the client before coming up with solutions to achieve those goals.

These skills have allowed Matthew to advise a wide range of clients who do not own rural property, many of whom have connections outside of the UK, in particular the Middle East, the US and low tax jurisdictions.

 

Track record

Structuring holding for historic family estate

Advising a family on a structure to hold an estate that has been in the family for 32 generations. The family wanted the estate to be held by all of their children rather than one 'heir' but for the 'rules' of ownership and transfer to be clear and fair and ensure that the family asset is retained.

Ownership of UK property

Advising on the ownership of UK property, whether for personal use or for investment or trading purposes and in respect of both residential and commercial property. Clients include investors from the Middle East, Europe and Asia. This advice is often coupled with wider lifetime planning for non domiciled individuals, including setting up private trust company structures to manage succession on death.

Indian and Pakistan clients' wills

Advising a number of clients who are domiciled in India and Pakistan on the structure of their wills to maximise the possibility of tax treaties with the UK applying on death. This can protect UK assets from charges to UK inheritance tax notwithstanding the clients being UK deemed domiciled through long term residence.

Post death tax planning

Following the unexpected death of the principal of a large trading business, post death tax planning to maximise inheritance tax reliefs, both on death and on the death of the surviving spouse in due course. This has involved complicated tax, trust and corporate issues to avoid significant tax charges on the restructure and a number of clearance applications with HMRC.

Talks

  • Tax Planning and the Family Company - 29 February 2016

  • IBC Landed Estates Conference - 21 September 2016

  • Protecting and Attacking Wealth on Divorce seminar - 27 September 2016

Admissions

  • England and Wales, 2001


Education

  • University College London, LL.B Laws


Languages

  • English

Memberships

  • Society for Trust and Estate Practitioners

  • STEP Business Families Steering Committee

  • Country, Land and Business Association

  • Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust

  • Historic Houses Association


Key dates

  • Year joined: 1999
  • Year became partner: 2007