Private Wealth

Legal specialists for private wealth management

Secure your family’s future for generations

Passing your assets to the next generation is a process that requires considerable preparation, particularly high net worth individuals who ultimately have more to give. Successful high net worth estate planning involves multiple elements, from tax planning to the use of Trusts and Wills. Each element will need to be very carefully structured and integrated.

Key Contact

Phillip Bolton

Partner & Head of Private Wealth

The Goughs approach to private wealth

Our expert team of solicitors provide advice on all aspects of wealth planning for high net worth individuals. Our advice is bespoke to our clients’ needs. We find practical solutions to meet our clients’ objectives in relation to tax efficiency, asset protection and succession planning.

Meet Phillip Bolton, Head of Private Wealth

Phillip Bolton, Partner and Head of the Private Wealth Team at Goughs. Phillip’s practice encompasses all aspects of private client work, with a particular interest in complex Wills, wealth preservation, tax mitigation, and estate planning.

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Don’t risk expensive mistakes

Supporting high net-worth families since 1882

Your private wealth questions answered

The simple answer is yes. In recent years the law has developed to make pre-nuptial agreements very powerful documents, provided all the necessary legal requirements have been met.

At Goughs Solicitors we act for many wealthy individuals for whom protecting and passing on your wealth to your loved ones is an inevitable priority at certain points in life. Our expert team of family lawyers advise on pre-nuptial agreements to ensure that wealth passed down to children who plan to marry is protected. We also advise those who have married but have not received an early inheritance yet, and a post-nuptial agreement can be a sensible way to ensure protection for family wealth is in place before steps are taken to gift assets or money, or to transfer business assets as part of an early inheritance.

For those who have been married before, who are bringing high value assets to a marriage, are likely to inherit or receive wealth in the future, or wish to recognise the position of children from previous relationships, a pre-nuptial agreement, or a cohabitation agreement where parties do not intend to marry but will live together, is a sensible and even essential safeguard to put in place.

The Private Wealth team at Goughs Solicitors are specialists in advising on the creation and administration of Trusts, and in particular, in relation to the preservation of wealth. Trusts have long been used as vehicles to offer protection to family wealth.

A Trust will give assets to the people you allocate (the Trustees) to hold for the future benefit of others (the beneficiaries). Trusts can be set up during your lifetime (by using a Trust Deed) or upon your death (when included in your Will). Trusts are often used as a tool for the benefit of inheritance tax planning.

The Goughs Private Wealth team are able to offer bespoke advice in respect of every client’s individual needs.

Succession planning can involve making a Will to set out who you wish to inherit your assets. For complex families and particularly those with high net-worth, there may be additional steps required. This could be creating Trusts or family investment companies to protect your wealth for future generations. It may also include the appointment of professionals to assist in the management of your assets. Succession planning will:

Manage family expectations of their inheritance to avoid future disputes

Educate the next generation on their future responsibilities and how to manage their large inheritance

Minimise inheritance tax

Assist you in deciding how to hand over control of your business

Allow you to consider the rewards of allocating some of your wealth to charity.

Give you the opportunity to plan for unexpected circumstances, such as losing mental capacity

The Private Wealth team at Goughs Solicitors, Wiltshire, specialises in advising clients on how best to structure their estates to ensure their wealth is passed down through their family.

A Will may be the most important legal document a high net worth individual can consider and create. A Will sets out how your assets, business, property and finances, will be distributed on your death.

Although, in cases of ultra high net worth estate planning you must have a very clear and comprehensive idea of how you wish your assets to be broken down on your death. A Will is the essential part of the process to ensure this happens.

Goughs Solicitors can offer advice tailored to you and your family to create a Will that suits your requirements. A vague or confusing Will may get contested after your death which will ultimately mean further suffering, and financial burden, on those left behind.

Our clients rate us as excellent

Legal 500

Client orientated; they ensure the client is well informed with easy to read documents.

L C, Devizes

Our Wills were dealt with efficiently, we have already recommended your firm to our daughter and husband. Absolutely brilliant – thank you.

Sue Greenman

Everything was completed professionally and within my tight time scales. I would like to say thank you and would definitely go back to Goughs should I need help in the future.

Legal 500

Goughs gives outstanding customer satisfaction. They are very approachable, reliable, courteous and informed. I would recommend Goughs to anyone.

R F, Melksham

Great service, professional, great communication and handled what was a very sensitive situation with care and compassion.

W D, Calne

Professional, helpful & knowledgeable service. Giving very clear advice in a way I could understand. Thank you.

Your private wealth team

Dawn Moir

Partner (TEP)

Gemma Sumsion

Head of Real Estate & Corporate

Nadine Stevenson

Senior Associate

Phillip Bolton

Partner & Head of Private Wealth

Ross Phillips

Partner

Sophie Laird

Residential Conveyancer

Dawn Moir

Partner (TEP)

Phillip Bolton

Partner & Head of Private Wealth

Sophie Laird

Residential Conveyancer

Nadine Stevenson

Senior Associate

Ross Phillips

Partner

Gemma Sumsion

Head of Real Estate & Corporate

Supporting high net-worth families since 1882

Local since 1882, with an excellent reputation

First-class, effective service

Largest solicitors in Wiltshire

Seven offices throughout the county

Nationally accredited law firm

Recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners

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