Shaun is a Partner in the Private Client team.
Shaun provides commercially minded advice to high net worth individuals (both in the UK and internationally), trustees, executors and attorneys on a wide range of taxation and private client legal issues.
Shaun specialises in the administration of estates, particular those with a multi-jurisdictional element and has worked across circa. 40 jurisdictions to date (largely in Europe, Commonwealth, Asia and Middle East). The estates that Shaun acts on range from insolvent/small estates through to estates valued in excess of £25m. Shaun also works in Inheritance Tax and Succession planning, preparation of Wills and Powers of Attorney as well as the creation and administration of Trusts.
Shaun is able to provide Tax Planning advice surrounding Inheritance Tax, Capital Gains Tax, Stamp Duty Land Tax as well as Long Term Residence (or formerly Domicile).
Shaun is experienced in the preparation of Wills both in English and Welsh as well as Sharia compliant Wills.
Recent examples of how Shaun has supported clients include:
- Assisted Executor client in obtaining a Grant of Letters of Administration (with Will annexed) for a (then) Belgian domiciled, American national deceased who had made a holographic Will in Belgium. Liaised with HMRC in settling the IHT from Jersey assets and liaised with Belgian Notary in the Apostille and Legalisation of documents. Assets in the UK included two residential properties that were tied up until the Grant could be obtained (with the Executor having been let down by his previous representatives).
- Saved a Middle Eastern family in excess of £600,000 of IHT by varying the Intestacy position of the deceased to pass estate via Life Interest Trust for spouse with Overriding Power of Appointment, thereby entitling the estate to benefit from spouse exemption. Advised on the tax implications of onward gifting and assisted the family in a transfer of part of the real estate to children and assisting them with the provision of UK Wills.
- Assisted in the de-enveloping of real estate so that it was held by the family in their own names rather than through the company. Advised on the tax implications of de-enveloping (not least the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) savings). Following de-enveloping and transfer to shareholder, assisted and advised in relation to onward gifting and supported family in the preparation of Sharia compliant UK Wills for each of them. This was repeated a further three times for other members of the same family who had the same/similar structures in place (in excess of 35 Sharia compliant Wills executed in total).
Shaun is a fluent Welsh speaker having grown up in the small town of Amlwch, Anglesey.