Private Affairs

Welcome to our Private Affairs hub.

Here you’ll find a mix of articles from our private client and family law teams, covering everything from planning for relationship breakdown to what to consider before leaving the UK. We’ve also included:

A fascinating piece on fraud in alternative investments – think fake art, counterfeit wine, and crypto Ponzi schemes
Expert contributions from Jon Fisher (Sedulo Wealth) on protecting your business from IHT
An inspiring interview with Doug Wright MBE on his success in business and philanthropic giving
News of new partners joining our private client team and a spotlight on Ravi Francis, who talks about his first year working in the firm as a private client partner in London

Dive into our recent articles on this page or click the links below for the full magazine.

Private Affairs - Winter 2025/26

Expert insights on UK inheritance tax changes, international relocation, fraud prevention in alternative investments, plus more.

Read the Winter 2025 edition

Private Affairs - Summer 2024

Guidance on silver divorce trusts, will disputes, philanthropy trends, and practical tips for separated families travelling abroad.

Read the Summer 2024 edition

Updates to inheritance tax

Worthy tax planning at Glastonbury's Worthy Farm

Michael Eavis, the founder of Glastonbury Festival, made headlines earlier this year after The Times reported that he had transferred his shares in the festival’s operational company to his daughter, Emily, and gifted most of his shares in the festival’s holding company into a family trust. This move happened just before the 2024 Autumn Budget.

Worthy advice on tax planning

Changes to inheritance tax charges for trusts

The forthcoming changes to the inheritance tax rules for individuals holding business or agricultural assets have been well-publicised. What is less well-known is that changes will also affect property within trusts which are subject to 10-year inheritance tax anniversaries (known as relevant property trusts).

Stay up to date

Protect your business from inheritance tax

For any business owner, safeguarding the future of your company is a primary goal. A significant inheritance tax bill can create a major financial burden for your beneficiaries, and this risk is set to increase. With changes to Business Relief due in April 2026, a standard life insurance policy, when set up correctly, offers a straightforward way to protect your legacy.

Find the solution

Cleaner. Entrepreneur. Philanthropist.

Catriona Attride interviews Doug Wright MBE, philanthropist and businessman, about his successful career with McDonald's, where he started as a cleaner and worked his way up to franchisee. They discuss the launch of the Ronald McDonald House Charities for sick children, as well as Doug's latest project, Kids' Village.

Read Doug's story

From succession to separation

Family investment companies (FICs) have become a cornerstone of modern estate planning, offering families a flexible but robust way to manage wealth across generations. FICs are privately owned, typically set up by parents, to pass assets down the generations in a tax-efficient way. But what happens when divorce comes into play?

Learn about FICs

60 seconds with... Ravi Francis

We spoke to Ravi Francis, private client partner in London, about his first year working at Mills & Reeve. Ravi's expertise ranges from advising international clients on a wide spectrum of matters, such as relocations to and from the UK, the intricacies of international tax planning, to supporting UK-based entrepreneurs and business owners.

Meet Ravi

Thinking of leaving the UK?

Moving abroad isn’t just about booking flights – it’s a complex process involving tax, legal, and lifestyle planning.

More UK-based private clients are exploring life overseas, often with attractive tax advantages as the main drive. But a successful move takes more than a flight and a forwarding address. Instead, it’s a multi-dimensional project involving legal, tax, financial, family and lifestyle considerations, requiring careful planning, ideally months in advance.

Things to note:

Double tax treaties
Estate planning for wills, forced heirship and local taxes
Knowing your residence status
Inheritance tax liability

Read before you pack

Busting common myths about CGT and divorce

Capital gains tax (CGT) on divorce has long caused confusion. For years, separating couples faced tight deadlines and surprise tax bills when transferring assets.

Changes in 2023 brought welcome clarity but some myths still linger. Whether you’re navigating divorce yourself or advising someone who is, understanding the CGT landscape is essential.

Busting common myths

Fraud in art, wine and crypto

As alternative investments grow in popularity among high-net-worth individuals, so too does the risk of fraud.

Common schemes include:

Forgeries and fakes
Misattribution
Fraudulent dealers

Whether acquiring a Rothko, a rare Burgundy, or a promising new cryptocurrency, we find clients are increasingly exposed to sophisticated scams.

We explore how fraud manifests in the worlds of art, fine wine, and digital assets, and how victims have successfully used civil recovery to reclaim their losses.

Protect your assets