Birmingham branch welcomed Neil MacGillivray, head of technical support from James Hay, in June. Neil highlighted changes in the 2012 budget and how this affects clients, as well as other tax changes and items of interest to planners.
Neil also went through all the main taxes, for example Corporation Tax, Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax. Looking not just at the changes but specific planning points, for example, the positive effects of salary sacrifice for pensions and its interaction with income tax and national insurance.
The presentation also provoked a debate among the planners about the merits or otherwise of making use of clients annual capital gains tax allowances within general investment accounts.

The debate centred around whether this could be achieved cost effectively andwithout disrupting investment allocations.
Delegates then welcomed Financial Planner Alan Smith of Capital Asset Management, who talked through his firm's successful development from old-style IFA practice to a top Financial Planning/ wealth management firm.
His focus on process and looking at best practice ideas not just from financial services, but also from businesses across the world has helped make his practice an award winning firm. All the planners were impressed with Alan's dedication.