Douglas Smith

Partner – Private Client

About Douglas

Douglas is solicitor with over 35 years’ experience specialising in private client and other tax related work. Douglas has joined the firm as a partner to establish a new private client and tax related work offering for our clients.

Douglas has strong drafting skills and a proven track record of being very strong technically and of providing a very thorough and personal service for his clients. In his work wherever possible Douglas will always try to add value to the work he undertakes for his clients whether from the point of view of tax or otherwise.

Douglas’ expertise and how he can help you

Over his long career Douglas has been involved in advising in relation to the following diverse range of private client and UK tax related work:

• The preparation of tax efficient Wills and advising on lifetime gifting and the UK tax reliefs available.

• The drafting and creation of all types of trust together with any supplemental documentation that may be required from time to time.

• Dealing with the administration of UK trusts and the associated UK tax compliance including the completion and filing of Self-Assessment Tax Returns and IHT Returns with HM Revenue & Customs for both UK and offshore trusts and claiming any available reliefs as necessary.

• Advice in relation to the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) which can apply where a non-natural person such as a company or other entity (the “Entity”) beneficially owns a UK residential property which is a dwelling. The preparation and filing of ATED returns and claiming any available reliefs, as necessary. Advice in relation to the UK tax consequences of the removal of the property from the Entity (otherwise known as de-enveloping) to avoid any further charge to ATED and assisting with the resulting UK tax compliance, as necessary. 

• UK Tax advice (including SDLT) for individuals who are not resident and/or domiciled in the UK in relation to their existing and future exposure to UK tax having regard to their circumstances and intensions and the ways in which it may be possible for them to minimise or avoid their exposure to UK tax.

• UK tax advice (including SDLT) for offshore entities and their beneficial owner(s) and how any existing or potential exposure to UK tax may be minimised or avoided UK.

• Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) advice in relation to how a property transaction may best be structured to minimise or avoid the SDLT liability that may otherwise have arisen having regard to the reliefs available. 

• The preparation of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) for property and financial affairs and for health and welfare (including where necessary a separate power of attorney to apply in relation to a person’s business interests) and subsequent registration of such LPAs.

• The administration of estates, including obtaining UK grants of probate or letters of administration where the deceased died domiciled in the UK or abroad and dealing with any necessary tax compliance on behalf of the deceased’s personal representatives with HM Revenue & Customs for IHT purposes and for any compliance required during the administration period for income tax and capital gains tax purposes. Douglas has been involved in the administration of many highly complex estates where the deceased died domiciled in the UK and abroad, including those with assets in multiple jurisdictions. Douglas has obtained UK grants of representation to enable of UK assets of persons who died domiciled abroad (including Jordan, The Sultanate of Oman, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Israel as well as many other jurisdictions) to be dealt with. Douglas is well placed to support families in dealing with the affairs of a deceased relative.

• The taxation of Heritage property and the reliefs available.

• The preparation of Deeds of Variation where a beneficiary wishes to alter the distribution of the interest conferred on them by the Will for the benefit of themselves and/or the members of their family in a more tax efficient manner

Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).