Charlotte Macdonald
Senior Associate Solicitor

Charlotte (TEP) is a senior associate solicitor in Stone King's International and Cross-Border Team dealing exclusively with work which includes an international or cross-border element.

Charlotte joined the firm as a trainee solicitor in 2013 before qualifying as a solicitor in 2015, and beginning work in her specialist field.

Prior to working as a solicitor, Charlotte worked abroad in Canada and Australia as a snowboard instructor, and is still a keen snow sports and mountaineering enthusiast.

Charlotte’s work includes the following:

  • Preparing Wills for clients with UK assets. Where appropriate, drafting Wills including life interest trusts and discretionary trusts.
  • Preparing Wills to cover certain overseas jurisdictions.
  • Reviewing non-English and Welsh Wills to ensure that they ‘dovetail’ with the Wills that Charlotte has prepared her clients in relation to scope, revocation and planning goals.
  • Providing detailed cross-border estate planning advice to her clients to ensure that her clients are aware of how the succession and tax rules in multiple jurisdictions interact with one other.
  • Providing lifetime gifting advice to clients in relation to UK gifting and the impact of overseas gifting on their UK tax position in relation to both inheritance tax and capital gains tax.
  • Providing an analysis of domicile for inheritance tax purposes for use with HMRC.
  • Reviewing overseas trust structures and advising clients on how these will likely be viewed by HMRC.
  • Drafting, registering and advising on the content of English and Welsh Lasting Powers of Attorney.
  • Providing advice on relevant double taxation agreements following the sale of overseas property.

 

Administering estates within the UK:

  • Drafting and submitting inheritance tax returns to HMRC, including those with business assets and overseas assets.
  • Providing advice to clients throughout the estate administration process.
  • Obtaining English and Welsh grants of probate and grants of letters of administration.
  • Providing advice on and drafting deeds of variation.
  • Drafting deeds of appropriation (where necessary).
  • Preparing estate accounts.

 

Assisting with the estate administration of overseas estates:

  • Liaising with overseas probate lawyers and notaries.
  • Reviewing Wills as to their validity and applicability in overseas jurisdictions, including consideration of whether the EU succession regulation is relevant.
  • Advising on and applying various overseas double taxation treaties to ensure that inheritance tax is applied correctly.
  • Providing affidavits/opinions of English law for overseas lawyers.
  • Arranging for the re-sealing of non-English grants of probate with the Probate Registry where applicable.
  • Providing advice to charity clients and school clients who are beneficiaries of multi-jurisdictional estates and individual overseas legacies.

Charlotte also provides advice to other firms of solicitors on international elements of their work including estate planning and estate administration.

Charlotte is a full member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) and has also taken and passed with distinction the specialist STEP advanced certificates in Cross-Border Estate Administrations and UK Tax for International Clients.

Charlotte has two undergraduate degrees; International Relations Bsc (2:1 University of Plymouth) and Law LLB (2:1 University of Law). Charlotte completed her Legal Practice Course in 2012 with distinction.

What our clients say

"Worth every penny. Prior to speaking with you this morning I’ve had conversations with three separate solicitors about this. One … basically told me to blag it … one told me that leaving the house in the will was the best option but without explaining why; and the third talked as if this was the most complex arrangement ever proposed and seemed to confuse even himself.

"You laid everything out with perfect clarity and patience. Huge relief coming off the call."

Simon B

What our clients say

"Sometimes I couldn’t see the road ahead through all the bureaucracy and international laws and regulations which became quite stressful and demanding, but I am now delighted that the estate has been wound up without further legal issues.

"Thank you again for all your hard work and advice. Without the support and professionalism of you, Dan and your practice, sorting out the estate would have been impossible to implement independently."

Edward J