Elder Client - the Virtual Summer Series 2025

Chaired by the incomparable John Kerrigan, our new online conference will consider current legal, tax planning and practical developments within a broad ranges of topics, from understanding care costs, IHT planning and financial abuse of the elderly to dealing with vulnerable clients and charitable giving.

Including presentations from Mark McKeown of Turcan Connell, Emma Horne from Thorntons, Claire Currie of 1st Legal, Anthony Allsopp from Title Research, Andrew Paterson of Murray Beith Murray, Kathleen Docherty from Anderson Strathern and Nicola McGorm of Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie.

What's being covered?

Understanding care costs in Scotland

The object of this session is to provide an overview of care costs, the factors influencing them and the legal considerations in Scotland.

Emma Horne, Thorntons

Tax planning for elderly clients – is it ever too late?

With its main focus on Inheritance Tax, this session will review tax planning opportunities for elderly clients as they approach their later years.  This is particularly relevant in view of the forthcoming Inheritance Tax changes announced by the UK Government in the 2024 Budget.

Andrew Paterson, Murray Beith Murray

Tax and legal aspects of charitable giving

As the gaps in society widen, the importance of charitable giving has rarely been more keenly felt. As private client advisers we are increasingly being asked to advise on the legal and tax aspects of giving.  This session will therefore explore key topics such as the tax aspects of giving in lifetime and on death, as well as will drafting points to consider.

Mark McKeown, Turcan Connell

Will drafting for the elder client

In this session we will focus on:

• assessing capacity of clients prior to putting in place a will - protection for the client and the solicitor
• choosing executors wisely. What to consider when appointing executors, factoring in potential death and incapacity complications
• legal rights – an unavoidable obligation which can often be forgotten. How does this impact your client’s succession plans?
• liferent trusts – effective vehicles to protect assets against care home costs and passing  assets on to children within blended families

Kathleen Docherty, Anderson Strathern

Dealing with vulnerable clients

This presentation will discuss how practitioners can learn to identify vulnerable clients and overcome some of the most common barriers in acting for vulnerable clients. It will promote practitioners’ confidence in their own capacity assessments and provide an overview of the law and professional obligations in this area, taking into account ECHR and UNCRPD compliance.

Claire Currie, 1st Legal

Financial abuse of the elderly

In this session, Nicola will look at how to spot the various signs which can present in clients who may be suffering from, or susceptible to, financial abuse. The session will look at how this interacts with issues surrounding capacity and how as practitioners we can still support our clients, even when the signs of abuse are present.

Nicola McGorm, Wright, Johnston & Mackenzie

Resolving international assets – case studies

This session will include case study reviews of estate assets Title Research has resolved in different legal jurisdictions, what an executor should consider at the outset of an administration, consideration of whether to outsource or DIY and a discussion of how to manage risk and client expectation.

Anthony Allsopp, Title Research

This event is sponsored by Title Research

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