Uncertainty over budget leaves holiday hangover

Christmas and New Year is often a busy period for family law offices - the unhappy reason being separations and divorce enquiries spike this time of year.

- Barney Macintyre

But for accountant Moore Kingston Smith LLP, the last six months have been just as hectic.Why? Well, it seems that Rachel Reeves has played a part. As a result of widely expected changes to inheritance tax in the budget, Tim Stovold, partner at Moore Kingston Smith, says his team has worked on more preand post-nuptial agreements this year than they have in the last 10. “We've seen a lot of asset transfers, either grandparent to children or parent to children,” he says. Many were accompanied by requests for legal protection in case of a matrimonial dispute.