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Family Investment Companies (FICs) have become an increasingly popular succession and estate planning tool for entrepreneurial and high-net-worth families, particularly in light of rising inheritance tax exposure, restricted reliefs, and greater scrutiny of traditional trust planning. This webinar will provide accountants and tax advisers with a clear, practical understanding of how FICs work, when they are appropriate, and the common pitfalls that can undermine their effectiveness. Attendees will gain insight into the tax, governance, and commercial considerations advisers must navigate when recommending or reviewing FIC structures, enabling them to add real value to family clients seeking long-term wealth protection and control.

In this session Nick Wright will cover the following topics:

• What a Family Investment Company is, typical structures used, and HMRC’s current view
• Inheritance tax planning opportunities, including value freezing, PETs, and gifts of shares
• Income tax and corporation tax implications, including dividend exemption and double-layer taxation
• Capital gains tax, SDLT, and other transactional tax issues when establishing or restructuring a FIC
• Practical risks, anti-avoidance rules, governance challenges, and when alternatives may be more suitable

By attending this session, delegates will:

• Understand how Family Investment Companies are structured and funded
• Be able to identify when a FIC is (and is not) an appropriate planning solution
• Recognise common tax traps and anti-avoidance risks associated with FICs
• Gain confidence in advising clients on succession, control, and inter-generational wealth planning
• Be better equipped to compare FICs with trusts and other alternative structures

This session will be of most interest to:

• Tax advisers and tax managers
• Owner-managed business advisers
• Private client and estate planning specialists
• Partners and senior managers advising high-net-worth families

Course level: Foundation