Steven Holden Tax takes one small STEP...

Apologies for the pun, those of you who read this blog regularly ought to be used to them by now...

Earlier this year (May 2020) I became a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, or STEP as it's more commonly known these days. You'll have seen from my profile that I'd advised in the trust and estate arena for many years, so it was nice for me to add this qualification to my resume, and hopefully, it provides some further assurance for my existing and prospective clients.

So, what is STEP and what do they do? Well, I'll borrow a couple of quotes from their website:

"STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. We work to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promote education and high professional standards among our members."

"STEP members help families plan for their futures, from drafting a will to advising on issues concerning international families, protection of the vulnerable, family businesses, and philanthropic giving. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience."

So, you can see why what they do fits so well with what I do. Find out more about them here.

Well, here goes nothing...

For anyone who's been following this blog for a while you'll have noticed some changes today, they are driven by some exciting news!

Yes, during the current health and economic climate I've relocated me and my business to a new firm, Edwards Chartered Accountants in Aldridge, Walsall. Whilst it's a challenging time for business (I'll admit, starting with a new team whilst all working from home is a new one on me) it has already proven to be the right decision. I can't say how much I'm looking forward to working with Adrian, David, Neil, Paul and the rest of the team at Edwards, new challenges are always fun.

So, I just thought I'd share their press release with my followers...

Edwards Accountants expands & diversifies its tax services

with exciting appointment

Midlands firm, Edwards Accountants, has appointed a new Tax Director as it looks to expand and diversify its offering to clients across the UK.

Experienced tax specialist Steven Holden joins the fast-growing firm as it looks to deliver a wider range of services and advice to clients.

Steven has spent more than two decades advising clients on taxation, having previously worked at some of the UK’s leading accountancy and legal firms.

With a strong background in the taxation and administration of trust and estates, Steve brings with him a wealth of experience in both corporate and personal tax planning and compliance.

Speaking about his appointment, Steven said: “The Midlands may be a powerhouse for manufacturing, technology and industry in general but it is underserved when it comes to high-level tax advice for individuals, particularly support with complex trusts and estates.  “I hope that my appointment at Edwards Accountants rectifies this and we can enhance the existing tax offering to attract clients from across the UK to this fantastic, proactive practice.”

As well as bringing significant knowledge of personal taxation to the firm, Steven is also an expert in corporate re-organisations, employee incentive schemes and R&D credits.

All change for Steven Holden Tax...

At the beginning of this month I joined the team at Haines Watts, working out of their Tamworth office in Staffordshire. I'm almost two weeks in now and having a great time working with a brilliant bunch of like-minded people, and clients who have some very interesting tax issues. Life here is good...

Haines Watts are a Top 15 firm of chartered accountants who specialise in advising and supporting business owners. With more than 60 offices they work with over 35,000 companies and business owners nationwide, giving their clients access to a huge amount of business expertise and knowledge both on a local and national level.

Where the team at Haines Watts and I have found a particular synergy is the approach we take towards dealing with our clients, viewing it as our responsibility (and a matter of best practice) to take a holistic view beyond that of just the numbers. The firm's ethos is to stand beside their clients as partners, helping them manage their businesses and family wealth to ensure they achieve their objectives through good advice. In short, Haines Watts are more than just accountants…

I've become a Fellow of the Association of Taxation Technicians! So, what's that about?

Anyone who's connected to me through LinkedIn or Twitter will have seen that I've been posting photos of my shiny new certificate and announcing to the world in general that I've become a Fellow of the Association of Taxation Technicians, as well as my recent appointment to Council of the same professional body. So, I can now put something new on my CV and business cards, but what does it actually mean?

Well, I'm better placed than most to explain this as I helped develop the Fellowship route for the ATT two or three years ago. The Association of Taxation Technicians is a professional body that provides a testing route to qualification for anyone wanting to enter the tax profession, some of you may also have heard of it's 'big brother' the Chartered Institute of Taxation. The ATT has been in place now for over 25 years (http://bit.ly/1u6dAQe) and as a body it was decided that something needed to be done to recognise those members who have been qualified to provide tax services over a long period of time. Hence the Fellowship scheme was born, and indicates not only a period of service to the tax profession of over ten years, but also the contribution and progression those members have made within the sphere of tax. So, it's not just a time served basis like some bodies, there is a little more to it. My personal story many of you know, but a short summary is about a guy who left Wolverhampton University, joined PwC completing corporate tax returns and after a few twists and turns ended up heading up the tax department of one of the fastest growing law firms in the country (www.hcbsolicitors.com) and helping run my professional body and have influence over tax policy. It's all been a lot of fun (and hard work) in the short space of fourteen years, so to get that recognition from ATT means a lot to someone like me.

So, that's what the Fellowship is, but what does it mean to me? Well, there's the shiny new certificate for a start which looks quite nice on the office wall. In all seriousness though, it does help in terms of marketing my service to potential partners, clients (and employers) as someone who is at the top of their game as there are, (last time I checked) less than 200 Fellows in the UK out of a membership of several thousand advisers. It is also a sense of pride at being able to shout out about my professional body, of which I am very proud, and help promote the qualification to people who are aspiring to enter the tax profession from perhaps a more mainstream background in accountancy or law, or like I did straight from university and into the exciting world of tax.

So, if you're looking for someone to help you with your taxes, or someone looking to enter the tax profession and wanting to understand the opportunities available to you I hope this article has helped explain what I've been shouting from the rooftops for the last couple of days, and for those of you who haven't seen it...

HCB Networking hits Lichfield

Well, continuing the theme from last month in the attempt to unite the Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield business communities the HCB networking bandwagon hit Lichfield today.  Michelle Dean and I again hosted another packed event, this time at Apres on Bird Street.

There was a slight deviation from last month's inaugural event, but only insofar as the apparent absence  of any mind readers this time round.  However, there was still a great buzz about the event with all of the professions in and around Lichfield well represented, with again around 30 delegates in attendance enjoying a light hearted quiz, good food and even better company.

Having held events in both locations now, it is clear that there is a hunger for this type of professional, yet slightly relaxed forum for local businesses and professionals to get together and discuss business, or anything else for that matter.  Feedback was again excellent, and Michelle and I look forward to seeing everyone again in Sutton Coldfield next month!

Next event is back at Don Diego's in Sutton Coldfield next month on Wednesday 11th July 12pm, we'd love to see you there!

Unity boost for Sutton and Lichfield businesses

An initiative uniting professional business communities and boosting entrepreneurship in Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield has been launched by a legal firm which has offices in both centres.

The HCB Solicitors group, which recently opened offices in Sutton and 12 months ago took over long-established Lichfield-based law practice Sharrotts, is aiming to bring professionals closer together to strengthen business in the two communities.

The project was kicked off with a networking event at Don Diego’s Spanish tapas restaurant in Sutton, attended by over 30 representatives from the legal, accounting, financial services and banking sectors.

Don Diego’s is a new business in Sutton and photographs were taken by David Boynton, who runs db Photographic, a fledgling company in the Walsall area, while local corporate entertainer Paul Brook, who performs a psychological/mind reading act, entertained the guests.

Steve Holden, tax director of the HCB Solicitors group, said: “From the reaction of the guests it was obvious this was a much-needed initiative. Bringing the professions together will strengthen the business communities and that’s a major benefit for companies in both centres.

“We see this as the first of a number of get-togethers at improving business relationships”.

Michelle Dean, a HCB director who helped organise the event, said: “The feedback was very encouraging. We were told in no uncertain terms by everyone who attended that they not only found it useful from a getting-to-know you perspective, but that getting all the professions to meet in informal surroundings was a positive move towards business unity.”

The next one is on Thursday June 14 at Apres in Lichfield and they will take place each month after that alternating between the two locations.

Steven joins HCB Solicitors

One of the Midlands’ leading law firms is further developing its corporate and personal financial offer to clients by appointing new Tax Director Steven Holden.

Steven, an experienced tax professional specialising in working with trustees and private clients, has joined fast expanding HCB Solicitors to broaden the scope of advice available to all their clients. HCB has offices in Solihull, Walsall, Stratford upon Avon, Redditch and Lichfield and has recently opened another in Sutton Coldfied. Steven will be providing tax advice to clients in all six areas.

Well-known on local radio and television as a regular commentator on tax affairs, Steven previously worked for two of the top ten accountancy and business services firms in the UK, and has also spent much of the last ten years in the legal sector. He has an extensive specialist knowledge of trust taxation, accounting and administration as well as charitable trusts and also deals with tax compliance from assisting clients in tax repayment claims or tax returns to handling enquiries from HMRC for them.

A member of the Association of Taxation Technicians (of which he currently sits on the Membership committee), he acts as a volunteer for the charity Tax Help for Older People giving free tax surgeries to pensioners on low incomes and is also a local school governor.

Steven said: “HCB has proved itself as a successful and developing law firm with a growing number of partners specialising in all aspects of corporate and personal law, and that leads naturally into the tax affairs of their many clients. “By offering clients the whole package of legal and tax advice we are able to develop the customer friendly ethos of the company over a large area of the West Midlands. “I will be advising our clients on straightforward issues such as tax returns to advising on and setting up more complex matters like offshore trusts and company structures”.

Mike Gahan, chief executive of HCB Solicitors, said: “Steven’s appointment is a logical step in the firm’s development. He brings extensive knowledge and expertise to our portfolio in an area which is an attractive addition to our clients”.