About Higgs
We are an energetic, stable law firm where long-term relationships, community, reputation, partnership and balance matters. Our future strategy is built on a set of three strategic principles: Our clients, Our People, Our Way.
When it comes to our people, the team is everything at Higgs – an environment of sharing and
collaboration, and a real sense of loyalty to each other and the firm. That is coupled with a desire for everyone to learn and develop. We are always striving to be better. We enjoy what we do. We are genuinely interested in our clients and want them to feel a part of the firm too.
Our approach to our people draws on enjoyment, health & wellbeing, developing talent, technical excellence, training, reward and recognition.
When recruiting, we:
* Value enthusiasm and personality
* Want to be an employer of choice for talented, driven and client-focused people
* Are always looking for the very best to strengthen our team and bring new skills and ideas
* Integrate new people to realise their potential
Role purpose
· To take responsibility for a varied caseload of estate administration files to include taxable and non-taxable estates.
Key responsibilities
· A good understanding of the process of estate administration
· Ability to engage with clients by telephone, email and face to face meetings
· Preparation of all relevant IHT returns, to include IHT205, IHT400 and IHT421
· A good working understanding of relevant inheritance tax allowances to include the nil rate band and the transferable nil rate band. Experience in business relief and agricultural relief are also desirable but not essential. The ability to handle estates that are often high in value and that include trust structures e.g. discretionary wills, nil rate band wills and life interest trust wills.
· A working understanding of will validity and interpretation (with assistance provided on complex matters from the Private Client, wealth team)
· Maintenance and preparation of estate accounts
· Ability to interact with external advisers e.g. accountants and tax advisers
· Experience of administering estates where a trust corporation acts as Executor is desirable but not essential
· Confident to take and exercise initiative to ensure responsibility for the completion of an estate administration file
· The ability to work autonomously but also alongside more senior fee earners in the team and to engage with a number of more junior members to include paralegal level
· Good working knowledge of the Probate Registry systems
· Good working knowledge of Inland Revenue processes and procedures
Person specification
· Good communication, organisational and team skills, good attention to detail and strong on numbers
· Flexible and dependable, able to take the initiative
· Able to remain calm under pressure and work to tight deadlines, conscientious, approachable and enthusiastic
· Able to quickly build confidence, respect and trust with others
Technical knowledge
· Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office products
· Excellent all round IT skills
· STEP qualification an advantage but not essential or a desire to work towards a STEP qualification or an equivalent