STEP Diploma in Tax and Estate Planning (Scotland)

Introduced in 2015, the STEP Diploma in Tax and Estate Planning (Scotland) is ideal for those who would like to develop their expertise further and gain a specialist STEP qualification.

The course comprises the following four Advanced Certificates:

• Advanced Certificate in Wills and Executries: Law and Practice
• Advanced Certificate in Trusts: Law and Practice
• Advanced Certificate in Taxation of Trusts and Estates
• Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients

Delivered through our online learning platform and two face-to-face workshops, the Advanced Certificates in Wills and Executries: Law and Practice, Trusts: Law and Practice, and Taxation of Trusts and Estates each take four to six months to complete.

Each Advanced Certificate is assessed via a three-hour, closed-book examination and we recommend that you spend between 4-6 hours each week on personal study for the four to six months prior to the examination. Further information on these Advanced Certificates can be found here.

The Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients is delivered through our online learning platform and takes five months to complete. Assessment is by way of a three-hour, closed-book examination based on a pre-seen case study. We recommend that you spend between four and six hours each week on personal study for the five months prior to the examination. Further information on this Advanced Certificate can be found here.

Once you successfully complete this course, you will gain the full 120 Diploma Level credits towards STEP membership.

To register for the STEP Diploma in Tax and Estate Planning (Scotland), applicants must first obtain 60 Entry Level credits. Guidance on how to gain these credits can be found on the STEP Qualifications and Membership Framework page.

The Advance Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients is aimed at TEPs or senior non-TEP professionals working in the private client field. In addition to the above, applicants are advised that they should have, as a minimum, a sound grasp of both the basic tax rules as they apply to UK clients and basic trust law.

Advanced Certificates in Wills and Executries: Law and Practice, Trusts: Law and Practice, and Taxation of Trusts and Estates

The current course fee is £800 (plus UK VAT) per Advanced Certificate, with attendance at an optional Computations Day for the Taxation of Trusts and Estates paper, for an additional £150 + VAT. This includes:

• bespoke hard copy course manual
• access to the online learning platform containing: 
  • self-assessment material
  • distance-learning support
• attendance at two days of face-to-face tuition
• examination fees 

Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients

The course fee is £845 (plus UK VAT at 20% (if applicable)). The Full STEP member fee is £795 (plus UK VAT at 20%) (if applicable)). This fee includes:

• access to the online learning platform, which contains:
  • bespoke course reading
  • podcast support
  • self-assessment material
  • distance learning support
• assessment fees

Please note that it is mandatory to maintain your STEP subscription whilst you are studying a STEP Advanced Certificate and you will be invoiced by STEP for your annual fees. For further details regarding membership categories, please visit www.step.org/categories.

Advanced Certificates in Wills, Trusts and Taxation

Course Dates for these Advanced Certificates are available below.

STEP strongly recommends that you attend both of the workshops in order to benefit from the face-to-face teaching of the subject matter and to discuss any technical queries or uncertainties that you may have with the course tutor. However, if you are unable to attend either of these, you are advised to email the CLT International Team to request a copy of the workshop notes made available to all delegates on the day. Please note that these are not a substitute for attendance but they do comprehensively set out the topics discussed and may assist with examination preparation.

Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients.

Please note: we were expecting significant reforms to the taxation of non-domiciliaries to come into force following the March 2017 budget and the consequent Finance Bill. On the assumption that the changes will still come into force now that the UK general election has taken place and will apply retrospectively from 6th April 2017, the course materials will require a significant rewrite. This will ensure that the course materials are as up-to-date as possible and incorporate the significant amendments to the way in which non-domiciliaries are taxed. To register your interest in the course and reserve a place, please contact us at cltinternational@centlaw.com. 

Course Dates - UKT - November 2019

Course Dates - UKT - May 2020

Course Dates - UKT - November 2020

Course Dates - Scotland - November 2019

Course Dates - Scotland - May 2020

Applications for exemption from the Advanced Certificates in Wills and Executries: Law and Practice, Trusts: Law and Practice and Taxation of Trusts and Estates will be considered in cases where there is a very close correlation between a previously obtained qualification and the Advanced Certificate from which exemption is sought, both in content and in level. STEP may take into consideration a significant amount of post-qualification experience when coupled with a relevant professional qualification. There will be a maximum of two possible exemptions from the three Advanced Certificates.

Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis. There will be a greater onus on applicants to demonstrate similarity and relevance where the qualification was obtained more than three years ago.

In order to make an application, you should complete the Exemption Application Form and return it together with verification that the relevant qualification has been obtained and the syllabus for each prior qualification forming part of your application.  

No exemptions are available against the Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients.

Douglas Florence

After qualifying as a chartered accountant with (what is now) Ernst & Young, Douglas specialised in taxation from 1975. Read More

Eleanor Sepanski

Eleanor Sepanski is an associate at Boodle Hatfield who advises on offshore structures and international tax and estate planning, with a particular interest in the USA. Read More

Emma Haley

Emma Haley is a solicitor and senior associate with leading private client firm Boodle Hatfield LLP. Read More

Geoffrey Todd

Geoffrey Todd is a partner at Boodle Hatfield who gives UK and international tax and estate planning advice to individuals, trustees and family businesses and deals with residence and domicile issues and cross-border estate planning, particularly between the US and the UK. Read More

Jenny Wilson-Smith

Jenny Wilson-Smith TEP is a know-how lawyer at Boodle Hatfield with a particular focus on offshore clients, offshore trust structures and the UK tax treatment of resident, non-domicilied individuals. Read More

Julie Hutchison

Julie is a TEP and has spent her whole career in the field of tax, estate planning and long term financial planning. Julie’s particular specialism is in the translation of complex tax, legal and financial matters into consumer-facing content. Read More

If you would like further information about this qualification, why not come along to one of our Professional Development Open Evenings?

All are welcome to attend and you will have the opportunity to speak with the Course Director.

Our Professional Development Open Evenings will allow you to explore the programmes and development pathways available, whilst providing you with a platform to network with other industry practitioners, and meet members of the CLTI/STEP team.