With our support, our client is now helping the causes that matter to him and his family
Our ultra-high net worth client was non-domiciled, and a long-term resident of the UK. He told us:
“I’ve recently retired from working full-time, and I want to set up a charity that will help me fulfil my philanthropic aims. I need a new focus for the time I have freed up, and more importantly, I want to provide some charitable assistance in areas that matter to my family and me.”
How we helped
As a starting point, we made sure we had all the facts regarding his personal taxation position, including the location of his assets, and that we had details of the proposed sums that he wanted to donate.
We advised the client on which charitable options were available to his particular circumstances and explained the various aspects of a charity and what he would need to consider. This included the choice of trustees, the objects of the charity, the choice of investment advisers and details of the ongoing compliance that would be required and how this would need to be managed.
One of the interesting areas we needed to consider was how the client could add his personal funds to the charity in the most tax-efficient manner and also claim the GiftAid on these amounts. This included seeing how the client could use some of his non-UK assets to fund the charity.
The outcome
Our client set up the appropriate UK registered charitable structure and has been able to add significant funds to it and claim the relevant tax relief for the charity.
The charity has a mixture of trustees, being both family and a professional adviser, which has given the client a perfect mix of skills and aptitude to take forward. By the second year, after becoming registered, the charity had established good links with its chosen charities and had donated close to £250,000 to worthwhile causes.
We are continuing to advise on the ongoing administration of the trust, when required to do so, and are working on various charitable policies and handling the annual accounts and Charity Commission returns.
Written: July 2020