The award-winning Life Builder tool from Cheltenham-based tax, audit and advisory firm Crowe offers expert tax advice for every stage of life's journey.
Based in Crowe's Cheltenham office, Nick Latimer is a tax partner, supported by a local team of private client advisers backed up by financial planning – he describes Life Builder as a 'fantastic tool for those who are not familiar with the issues to help build knowledge and look for direction where necessary.'
Providing a wealth of resources, from frequently asked questions to videos from Crowe's experts doing a deep dive into specific topics, as well as links to get in touch with the relevant team, here's how it can help...
Moving to the UK or overseas
With significant changes for resident non-doms coming into play this April 2025, whether you're relocating for a great new job, moving closer to family or have decided it's time for a change of scenery, moving to or from the UK requires specialist financial advice – with private client tax director, David Conway, providing a list of the main things to consider on Life Builder.
When your mind is made up, Crowe can assist with everything from timing your move, ensuring you're compliant with UK tax obligations, benefitting from the Foreign Income and Gains regime, all the way through to inheritance and Capital Gains Tax considerations, whether you're UK-based and moving to new shores, or moving here from abroad.
Separating or getting divorced
For couples experiencing a relationship breakdown, the tax implications of their split aren't likely to be the first thing they think about, but it's an area Crowe says shouldn't be overlooked.
Dividing or disposing of jointly owned assets, providing for children, arranging financial settlements, mediation and updating wills and financial plans are all areas Crowe can help separating couples navigate – with Life Builder providing a handy guide on matrimonial disputes; and senior manager Parris Britton providing an overview of Crowe's financial foresight service, designed to provide expert financial advice and support to divorcing couples.
Investing for the future
As Crowe's consultant in the financial planning team, Laura Clark, explains, it's never too late, or too early, to start investing for the future and getting your wealth working hard for you.
Life Builder lays out exactly what financial planning is; what to expect from a financial advisor; the ways fees for financial advice can be charged; and the differences between independent and restricted advisors and what this means for you, so when you're on the lookout for a financial advisor, you can go into that conversation feeling confident and well-informed.
Buying or selling a home
Moving home at any stage of life can be stressful – and with so many things to think about, the tax implications are often not the top priority in homeowners' minds. Crowe's expert team has plenty of experience helping clients navigate this tricky life event and has a variety of topics covered in this section of Life Builder.
Whether you're a first-time buyer wanting to get your head around how much Stamp Duty Land Tax you'll need to pay; you're considering investing in a second home or renting out a former family property; or you're looking into things like inheritance and Capital Gains Tax implications, Crowe's Life Builder tool is full of useful information whatever stage of the process you're at – including the very latest updates on what's happening in the ever-changing world of property taxes.
Managing a property portfolio
For investors, efficient tax planning is essential to maximise returns, whether that's through rental income on personally owned residential properties, or income from commercial properties owned by your company.
Life Builder has tips on how to structure your property portfolio; make the most of reliefs and allowances; create a succession plan; and get to grips with upcoming tax changes for landlords, like increases to Stamp Duty, the abolition of the Furnished Holiday Let scheme and the government's plans to expand National Insurance to include rental income.
Starting a family
For prospective parents, financially planning for their child's future should be high on the agenda, with Crowe's senior manager in professional practice and private clients, Nicola Kelleher, highlighting a variety of ways to do just that on the Life Builder tool – from making sure you have a will, to starting a pension fund early.
With the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 being around £152,747 for couples and £185,413 for single-parent families, Crowe can help parents get to grips with everything from tax efficient investment options like Junior ISAs and investment accounts; Child Benefit claims; to Trusts and how they work, to manage their family finances well and give their children the best possible start in life.
Supporting children
From planning for school and university fees in the most tax efficient way, to helping your children get on to the property ladder, there are many ways parents can use their wealth to support and benefit their children throughout education and into their adult life, too.
Crowe's Life Builder offers advice on everything from setting up Trust funds to pay for school fees and buying property for your child to live in while they're at university, to the tax benefits of family investment companies and how to bring children into family businesses through gifting shares.
Planning for unexpected events
Whether it's a wonderful surprise like winning a cash prize or receiving an unexpected inheritance, or more difficult news like illness, care needs or a bereavement, unexpected events often come with financial consequences, as well as emotional.
While you can never be fully prepared for life's curveballs, Life Builder has tips on everything from winning the lottery, to details of what to do if you unexpectedly find yourself in the role of an executor to someone's will. Crowe has a wealth of specialist expertise in inheritance tax and a brand-new probate service, too, to help you maximise anything you've been bequeathed.
Preparing for retirement
From making the most of your pension pot, to succession planning and business exits, Life Builder can help you get started on an effective retirement plan, even if you're years away from retiring.
There's helpful advice on working out what you want from retirement and planning for it early; maximising personal pension contributions through income tax relief; operating Small Self-Administered Pension Schemes as part of family businesses and much more – alongside a case study on a family Crowe has helped achieve their financial goals.
Growing and selling a business
There are many ways to grow a business, from venture capital schemes to mergers and acquisitions – and Crowe can provide plenty of expert advice to make sure you're taking advantage of all the relevant tax reliefs available.
With major changes to inheritance tax on the horizon, it's never been more important to consider succession planning and business exit strategies, too. Life Builder is a great place to start, with Crowe providing host of expert services for entrepreneurs, owner-managers and family-run businesses, when you're ready to take the next step.
Becoming an angel investor
For anyone looking to invest in an early-stage business or start-up, there are a multitude of tax incentives available to mitigate risk and maximise return.
Angel investors are often entrepreneurs themselves who invest their time and expertise, as well as their capital, in a business, making them a huge asset. Crowe's Life Builder gives potential investors the lowdown on the many tax incentives which may be available to them, so they reap the rewards of their investment in the long and short term.
Giving to charity
Donating some of your wealth to do good is a wonderful way of supporting causes you care about – and Crowe's Life Builder can help you do it in a tax efficient way which benefits you and your chosen charity.
Life Builder can help users get to grips with tax reliefs on Gift Aid donations; understand the implications of donating assets like land or shares; and see how leaving a charitable legacy in your will can benefit your estate from a tax perspective, too.
To start your journey on Crowe's Life Builder tool, visit ceros.com/crowe-uk; or to contact Nick Latimer, email nick.latimer@crowe.co.uk or call 01242 234421.
