Hester is a Partner in the Tax & Trusts and Wills & Estates teams.
She supports clients on all types of private client matters, with a specialist focus high net worth and complex will drafting and estate administration. Hester is experienced in supporting clients with large farming estates, complex business and international assets as well as advising on succession planning to set up and management of trusts to preserve wealth in a tax efficient manner, maximising the benefit of inheritance tax planning.
Hester is also experienced in supporting clients with preparing and registering last powers of attorney for health and financial matters, dealing with probate applications and administration of trusts.
Clients include private individuals, business owners, executors, administrators, trustees and beneficiaries.
Recent examples of how Hester has supported clients include:
- Administration of complex Trusts with assets of circa £3 million and an overseas Trustee created following a successful Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 claim.
- Preparing a will for a terminally ill client ensuring their wishes were met and putting in place safeguards including liaising with medical professionals to make a record of mental capacity;
- Producing a detailed Inheritance Tax and succession planning proposal with an initial potential Inheritance Tax saving of over £800,000 (minimum) while ensuring that no Capital Gains Tax is immediately crystallised;
- Advising Trustees to ensure vulnerable beneficiaries receive valuable benefits from Trusts during their lifetime and liaising with other professionals to ensure the Trust is used to make a difference to the lives of the beneficiaries; and
- Advising Executors in relation to a complex and high net worth value estate with significant holdings in farmland.