Cross-border planning

This subtopic draws together cross-border content from the Wills, Probate (non-contentious), Trusts and Court of Protection topics in Private Client. The aim is to make such content easy to find for those seeking guidance on cross-border issues. For context and more general guidance, please refer to the further content in the relevant topic.

This subtopic covers cross-border issues relating to Wills and succession, the administration of estates, cross-border estates and UK inheritance tax (IHT), UK resident trusts and mental incapacity. For an introduction to the basic concepts that underpin cross-border and offshore planning see: International private client—general principles—overview.

It is often necessary to consider private international law when advising on cross-border tax and estate planning to resolve conflicts between the laws of different jurisdictions. For information on the principles of private international law, see Practice Note: Private client and private international law—summary of main principles.

Wills and succession

Validity of Wills

When drafting a Will with cross-border elements under the laws of England and Wales it is necessary to ensure that the Will is formally valid (ie admissible to probate) and also materially or essentially

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Latest Private Client News

Finance Bill 2025 update: Public Bill Committee to begin in January

The Public Bill Committee is expected to begin scrutiny of the Finance Bill on 28 January 2025. Comments on the Bill are invited before then, and revised explanatory notes have been issued to cover the Government’s proposed Pillar 2 amendments.

Private Client weekly highlights—19 December 2024

This week’s edition of Private Client highlights includes: (1) HMRC updates form IHT100f; (2) Knight v Barnsley, which held that the Court of Protection did have jurisdiction to determine a dispute over a claimant’s deputy’s release from reverse indemnity undertakings; (3) Manolete Partners Plc v White, in which the Court of Appeal held that occupation pension benefits are generally inalienable; (4) Hannah v Revenue and Customs Commissioners, where the First Tier Tribunal (Tax) permitted the amendment of grounds of appeal to include ground that the transfer of assets abroad regime is incompatible with EU law; (5) Hirachand v Hirachand, a decision of the Supreme Court which makes it clear that success fees cannot be included in awards for financial provision under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975; and (6) the Chancellor has confirmed that the Spring Forecast will take place on 26 March 2025.

Question of the week: Does the inheritance tax exemption for transfers between spouses apply where both spouses are non-UK domiciled and make a transfer of UK situs assets between them?

This Q&A considers the exemption from inheritance tax on a transfer between spouses who both have non-UK domicile status.

Supreme Court unanimously allows appeal (Hirachand v Hirachand and another)

The Supreme Court has unanimously allowed the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (I(PFD)A 1975) appeal and excluded from the order, in favour of the daughter, any sum for the success fee. Richard Dew, barrister at Ten Old Square, comments that the decision that costs cannot be recovered as part of the award restores the position to what it ought to have been and Brie Stevens-Hoare KC of Gatehouse Chambers highlights that the decision will ensure that applicants who use conditional fee agreements to access justice pay the price of their costs being conditional. Oliver Ingham of 3 Paper Buildings further notes the Supreme Court has made clear that success fees remain the responsibility of the claimant, preserving the integrity of the wider costs regime and ensuring consistency across civil litigation.