STEP Diploma in Tax and Estate Planning (England and Wales)

Course purpose

The course is designed for those who work in private client with a specialism in offshore trust and private client work involving UK tax, allowing them to study a combination of Advanced Certificates specifically related to their interests, whilst working towards a STEP Diploma and TEP designation.

You will able to

• Describe the classification and types of trusts, their uses, what affects their validity, their premature cessation and under what circumstances they can and cannot be altered.
• Advise on the taxation of each trust type.
• Explain, advise and comment on the use of the trust in modern tax planning.
• Understand and interpret the legal complexities and language pertinent to trust deeds.
• Describe the roles, responsibilities, limitations and liabilities of trustees.
• Advise on the legal formalities involved in the preparation of a valid will and be alert to the pitfalls.
• Analyse the content and validity of an existing will, assess its value to a client and advise to what extent it will meet their objectives.
• Advise on the tax-effective will.
• Advise on the tax implications and legal considerations of making lifetime gifts and gifts made in contemplation of death.
• Describe the roles, responsibilities, limitations and liabilities of the executor.
• Advise on the legal management of the client estate, including probate and intestacy issues, evaluation of any risks involved, deeds of variation, disclaimers and insolvency.
• Advise on taxation issues relating to the transference of private client wealth, specifically inheritance tax and capital gains tax, and how the burden of taxation can be minimised.
• Construct and interpret trust and client estate accounts.

Course audience

Students of this course typically include:

• Legal and trust professionals
• Support staff and paralegals
• Accountants and banking professionals
• Charity specialists
• Tax advisors
• Independent financial advisors
• Executorship administrators

Features

• Ideal for practitioners looking for professional accreditation in a specialist area.
• A recognised ‘gold-standard’ professional qualification for those working in the industry, globally recognised by employers, regulators, clients and professionals.
• Ability to grow your own professional network, meeting students from a range of professions providing an opportunity for networking, building relationships and sharing study tips/support as a cohort.
• Students have the opportunity to submit academic queries to a dedicated programme content team.
• Successful completion of the course will award students with 120 Diploma-Level credits towards STEP membership.

Format, Delivery and Assessment

This Diploma programme comprises four standalone STEP Advanced Certificate courses that together cover the curriculum of the STEP Diploma in Tax and Estate Planning.

The four papers which comprise this Diploma are:

• Advanced Certificate in Administration of Estates
• Advanced Certificate in Administration of Trusts
• Advanced Certificate in Taxation of Trusts and Estates
• Advanced Certificate in UK Tax for International Clients

Each of these Advanced Certificates can be taken as a standalone qualification or as part of the Diploma Programme.

Please note all courses until end December 2020 and throughout 2021 are being delivered fully online. Please visit ‘2021 Delivery’ for further information.

Exemptions

There are no formal exemptions available for this course.