STEP’s Global Congress, coming up in Amsterdam this summer, will be looking into a number of important and controversial issues, not least in the panel session I’m chairing on the second day. Joining me will be the Rt Hon Clare Short, Chair of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Jeremy Carver CBE of Transparency International and… Read More Are all countries ready for automatic information exchange?
Significant tax changes are on the way for anyone buying a second home or a buy-to-let property in England & Wales. The Scottish and Northern Irish Governments have also unanimously backed the changes, which will come into effect from 1 April 2016. Robert Jamieson TEP explained the new changes in a STEP seminar for tax… Read More UK buy-to-let tax and SDLT changes
Next week will be a busy week at STEP in helping shape the future strategy of the Society. First of all the Board, working closely with STEP staff, will be having a two day planning session here at London headquarters looking at the strategic challenges facing the Society and its members and how best STEP should position… Read More Strategy at STEP
STEP’s Professional Standards Committee recently approved some revisions to the STEP Code for Will Preparation in England & Wales, which applies to all STEP members drafting wills in England & Wales. Please find below a Q&A, which addresses the revisions and answers some common queries. If you have any questions about the Code please contact… Read More STEP Will Code revision published
The Office of the Public Guardian in England and Wales published a practice note on 15 February 2016 (below) clarifying how solicitor deputies should manage deputyship funds. Whilst the information is widely understood as best practice, it is a helpful reminder regarding the administration and management of deputyship accounts. The law states that all deputies… Read More The OPG: How solicitor deputies should manage deputyship accounts
The OECD Common Reporting Standard (CRS) is probably going to impact directly every STEP member outside of the US – the only major international financial centre not so far committed to joining the CRS. Even STEP members in the US, however, are likely to have to consider CRS’ implications for any clients they have with… Read More CRS and charities: watch out for reporting obligations
Will disputes and tax matters, often involving property, were at the forefront of our readers’ minds, according to the top ten news items from the UK. Here they are again: Lost challenge to will costs litigant dearly: A Berkshire woman who lost her legal challenge to her natural father’s will may have to pay legal… Read More STEP UK News Digest wrap-up – fourth quarter 2015 top stories
Readers of our STEP International News Digests showed a marked interest in the OECD’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS) during the fourth quarter of 2015. In case you missed them, here are the top ten items: Barclays fined heavily for due diligence failure: The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has fined Barclays Bank GBP72 million for… Read More STEP International News Digest wrap-up – fourth quarter 2015 top stories
Since my last statement we have seen changes on the England and Wales Regional Committee with the retirement of Keith Dudley, George Lyall, Gary Killmister and Carol Cummins. I would like to acknowledge their collective contributions over the years – especially Keith and George who have been so integrally involved in the development of STEP… Read More STEP England & Wales Biannual Statement – December 2015
I used to understand the Succession Regulation, but now I am not so sure. The EU Commission put together an excellent conference in Brussels on 19 November, on the subject, which many STEP members attended. Although several interesting individual topics were covered, the overriding impression I obtained was that we are all still looking at… Read More Quantum of Success
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