PFS Bristol & Cheltenham – IHT Planning for 2027 and beyond

Barry Foster - Aberdeen

Pensions & IHT

Barry’s financial services career spans c30 years and he has been a Technical Manager for over 16 years. He has considerable experience of building and delivering technical presentations on a range of topics.

Session synopsis:

Update on the proposals to bring unused pensions wealth into the estate for IHT purposes and the implications for clients.

Learning objectives:

Understand the proposals to apply inheritance tax to pensions announced in the Autumn 2024 Budget.Consider some of the issues identified as a result of the HMRC consultation process.

Examine some potential planning strategies to mitigate potential adverse tax consequences.

Discuss this subject with a client in a clear and concise way and apply this knowledge to appropriate, individual, client scenarios.

Graham Robinson - Octopus Investments

Robust Liquidity and Valuation processes in Business Relief Products

Graham has worked in the industry since 1995, and enjoyed working for such companies as Zurich, 7IM and Novia. While working for Octopus, he has been able to expand his pub-tax-bore persona while raging against the industry disease of excess risk aversion. In his spare time, he competes in triathlon, in the fat middle aged category.

Session synopsis:

The most prominent risk for clients when using Business Relief products is liquidity; this is an unquoted company that you cannot trade anywhere but with the product provider. This session covers how liquidity is created, and importantly, how the FCA has increased scrutiny in the last 6 months.

Learning objectives:

Understand how liquidity is created in the BR space, and be aware of the FCA mandated criteria on valuation processes for unquoted companies.

Mark Wintle - WAY Trustees Ltd

Consumer Duty and the Elephant in the Room

Mark joined WAY in 2017, bringing over 25 years of experience across technical, advisory, and compliance roles. He specialises in providing technical support to industry professionals and private clients, delivering practical, actionable insights into the complexities of Inheritance Tax legislation, with a particular focus on Trusts.

Session synopsis:

This presentation explores the shifting landscape of estate planning post-Budget, highlighting the growing emphasis on lifetime gifting into Trust, effective planning on first death, and reduced reliance on the spousal exemption. Against the backdrop of the FCA’s Consumer Duty, Mark examines the heightened regulatory expectations on advisers to prevent foreseeable harm and act in clients’ best interests when using Trusts to mitigate Inheritance Tax.

Learning objectives:

Identify the Elephant in the Room – and comply with Principle 12 of Consumer Duty.

Understand the importance of considering multiple Trust frameworks within recommendations.

Understand Order of Gifting for better tax outcomes.

Edward Robinson, Tabitha Collett and Mary Perham - Charles Russell Speechlys LLP

Family Investment Companies

Edward has experience of a wide range of Corporate and Commercial transactions including mergers and acquisitions, private equity and corporate finance.

Edward has a particular expertise in the area of Family Investment Companies (FICs), and has drafted articles and thought-pieces regarding the corporate approach to FICs. Edward is able to bring his wealth of corporate transactional knowledge to FIC structures, including novel share classes, control mechanisms and transfer options.

Edward has worked closely with a large range of accountants and tax advisers at both national and international level to create bespoke FICs for a wide range of high net worth and ultra-high net worth families.

Tabitha specialises in Tax, Trusts and Succession. She advises on a broad range of matters for individuals including lifetime tax, estate and succession planning, Will drafting and Powers of Attorney, particularly for business owners, investors and entrepreneurs.

Tabitha advises individuals and trustees on the formation of trusts in various structure formations, including within Family Investment Companies (FICs). She can advise on the on-going administration, management and taxation of trusts and the beneficiaries’ position too.

Mary advises high net worth individuals on their UK estate planning, focussing on ensuring that asset protective and tax efficient succession planning is put in place. Mary’s experience includes advising on appropriate Will structures and Powers of Attorney through to the formation of trusts, deeds of variation, family investment companies, farming partnerships and gifting.

Mary also has a wealth of experience advising trustees and beneficiaries in relation to ongoing trust administration, the exercise of trustee powers, the rights of beneficiaries, trustee duties, succession, ending the trust, extending the trust and other tax and practical matters.

Session synopsis:

An introduction to Family Investment Companies: what are they, why to use them, how they are structured, and things to avoid when setting them up

Learning objectives:

Obtain awareness of FICs, when and why they are used.

Simon Martin - Aviva

Budget Changes and Financial Planning Opportunities

Simon joined Aviva in 2025 as Technical Distribution Manager, bringing with him a wealth of experience from many years at Technical Connection and over two decades in the financial services profession.

A Chartered Financial Planner, Fellow of the Personal Finance Society, and passed the ATT taxation exams, Simon specialises in financial planning for small business owners, as well as inheritance tax, trusts, and estate planning. He has spent many years supporting financial planners with technical expertise—developing planning strategies and ideas designed to help deliver meaningful advice and value to clients.

Simon is a regular presenter at adviser events and frequently responds to complex technical queries. He also contributes to the industry through blogs, articles, and commentary on topical financial issues.

Based in South Wales, Simon lives with his wife Kelly, their three boys, and—despite his best efforts to the contrary—a cat.

Session synopsis:

An overview of the recent Budget changes and consider the impact these changes may have on Financial Planning, especially IHT planning.

We’ll explore some of the outputs from the draft legislation from July 2025 and consider the need to use tax allowances in a changeable tax environment.

Learning objectives:

Understand the nuance of most recent Budget changes.

Consider the impact this may have on Financial Planning strategies.

Be confident in the current tax allowances and the benefits of client utilizing them annually.