Here’s a question that might keep you awake at night: what do you tell clients who’ve spent years building pension pots specifically because they were IHT-free, only to discover that’s all changed?

On 21 July 2025, HMRC published their response to the pension IHT consultation, along with draft legislation that will bring unused pension pots into the inheritance tax net from April 2027. The writing’s been on the wall since Rachel Reeves’ October 2024 Budget announcement, but now we have the detail and it’s time to work out what this means for our clients.

As paraplanners, we’re about to face some of the most fundamental shifts in retirement and estate planning strategy we’ve seen in years. The days of treating pensions as the IHT-free golden goose are numbered, and clients will be looking to us for answers.

This isn’t just about understanding the new rules. It’s about completely rethinking how we approach pension planning, estate planning, and the delicate balance between the two.


Your crash course in the new pension IHT landscape

In what turned out to be an essential Assembly, we were joined by M&G’s Les Cameron to dive deep into the practical implications of these seismic changes. We strongly recommend reading M&G’s detailed response before watching the Assemly as it provides crucial context for our discussion.

During this Assembly, we evaluated the different options to mitigate pension-driven IHT liabilities, including:


What can you expect to take away?

You’ll leave this Assembly with a clear understanding of how the new IHT rules will work in practice and with strategies you can implement immediately to help clients navigate this changing landscape. We hope to give you the confidence to tackle those difficult conversations about restructuring retirement plans that took years to build.

Fair warning: there’s so much ground to cover that we may run slightly over our usual 60 minutes. If we do, we’ll schedule a follow-up session to tackle any outstanding questions.

Once upon a time, when taxes were relatively low, ISAs and unwrapped investments seemed like pretty obvious choices for clients’ money.

But the big cut in the capital gains tax allowance and rises in tax on gains and dividends has changed things. Tax wrappers that once seemed like more hassle than they were worth (like investment bonds) could now be the ideal vehicle – especially for higher rate taxpayers.

But which wrapper is right in which circumstances and why?

That’s the question that guest Neil Macleod from M&G’s technical team was invited to answer when he joined host, Leanne Pickering, for this Assembly.

What you’ll learn by listening

Over the course of one lunch hour, Leanne and Neil explored when bonds are more suitable, when offshore makes sense, and why the ‘best’ mathematical answer might not actually be the right choice for your client. In this Assembly you’ll:

You’ll discover that the right choice for your clients isn’t just about what the spreadsheet says but about the broader thinking

What’s more, once you’ve listened, follow the link below and you can request a record of 1 hour’s worth CPD too.

With recent changes to capital gains tax rates reaching up to 24% and the CGT annual exemption frozen at just £3,000, many clients are looking for tax-efficient ways to structure their investments.

In his latest ‘Technically speaking’ session for the Paraplanners’ Assembly, Utmost’s Steve Sayer explores how offshore bonds and trust structures work together – offering inheritance tax planning options that provide flexibility for clients who want to be prepared for the ‘what ifs’ of life.

Packed with helpful examples and case studies

Steve brings the options to life with a series of examples of different trust arrangements and how they can be combined.

He’ll show you how discounted gift trusts can provide an immediate reduction in estate value, how loan trusts offer capital access, and why reversionary interest trusts might help hesitant clients take their first steps with inheritance tax planning.

The session includes a detailed case study showing how married clients in their sixties, with £3.5 million in assets, could use multiple trust structures to meet their annual income needs all while reducing their inheritance tax liability.

What’s more, you’ll learn about the planning opportunities that come with non-UK long term residence status and how offshore bonds can keep assets outside the UK inheritance tax net.

And to round off his session, Steve shares a decision-tree approach that you’re bound to find useful when you’re weighing up client needs.

What are the learning outcomes?

Once you’ve watched or listened to this episode, you will:

Once you’ve watched or listened, make sure you grab your CPD

CPD: Take the quiz to receive your certificate

You’re invited to join paraplanners from all over the country at the Paraplanners’ Assembly’s Big Day Out 2025.

We’ll be gathering on Thursday 9 October 2025 at FarmED in rolling Cotswold countryside – the last time the Big Day Out will be held at the venue.

What’s it all about?

The Big Day Out is unlike any other event in the world of wealth management.

No presentations. No muzak. No boiled sweets. No exhibition areas. No product pitches.

Exclusively for paraplanners, it’s a gathering that offers a combination of tailor-made interactive sessions involving hand-picked experts (and designed especially for the event), group discussions facilitated by paraplanner hosts, and six hours’ worth of CPD.

Together we’ll explore topics affecting paraplanners and the practice of paraplanning – with case study-led technical sessions, the chance to gain insight and exchange ideas on the trends affecting the future of work, plus plenty of chance to make new paraplanning connections, and share tools and tips to perfect your day-to-day work.

The Big Day Out is a supportive and encouraging space in which you can listen and learn, and share ideas, knowledge and insights however suits you. It’s a unique environment in which you can really focus and flourish – both professionally and personally.

What’s on the agenda?

Once you’ve booked your spot, you’ll be invited to influence the content of the day, so the fine details won’t be locked down until about four weeks before the event. However, here’s the expected running order for The Big Day Out 2025.

09:00: Breakfast and gathering

Arrive. Check in with our registration team. Then help yourself to a delicious hot breakfast bun (or buns), and coffee and tea. Take the chance to say ‘hello’ to people you know. Take a deep breath and muster the courage to introduce yourself to people you don’t know. Weather-willing, take a wander around the RIBA award-winning site (it really is a lovely location). See if you can spot The Big Day Out chicken.

A woman with curly dark hair is laughing.Her face expresses genuine joy. She's wearing a white top with colourful butterfly prints and holding a mug. She appears to be in conversation with others, visible partially in the foreground.
1000: AI for Paraplanners: Practical tools for better writing

Join us in the conference barn for a warm welcome from your Big Day Out hosts, Aleks Sasin and Chris Wormwell. We’ll then get underway with our first session, AI for Paraplanners: Practical tools for better writing.

Used properly, artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool to enhance the writing that sits at the heart of your role. From client communications to suitability reports, the quality of your written work directly impacts client outcomes and regulatory compliance. In this highly interactive session, led by award-winning financial journalist and AI trainer Harriet Meyer, we’ll cut through the AI hype to focus on practical applications of tools that can genuinely improve your daily writing tasks, from client communications to suitability reports.

Whether you’ve never used AI tools, have experimented with basic applications, or are already incorporating AI into your workflow but want to improve your technique, in this hour we want to provide value regardless of your starting point, with lots of opportunities to learn from your fellow paraplanners peers similar challenges.

We’re focussed on ensuring this session gives you concrete, actionable strategies for using AI to enhance your writing across key paraplanning tasks. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll practice effective prompt design and see real examples of how AI can improve client communications, streamline report writing, and support documentation tasks.

We’ll also explore the common pitfalls and share practical guidance on what to watch out for.

A group of two men and one woman's are engaged in discussion. The central figure, named Sam, is gesturing while speaking. Participants wear name tags and casual clothing. The setting suggests a collaborative, informal workshop event.
1100: Technical and financial planning: No 1

Ahead of the Big Day Out, you’ll be invited to pick two technical and financial planning scenario sessions (from a choice of four). Each session will last an hour. This is the first session.

1200: Technical and financial planning: No 2

This is the second session.

You’ll be invited to pick two from the following four topics.

Topic 1: IHT Planning – Foundation scenario

This session focusses on helping you looking strengthen your foundational understanding of inheritance tax planning, and gives a structured refresher on core principles.

Through an interactive scenario-based discussion, you’ll work through client situations and explore different approaches, understanding the practical application of IHT planning principles and the trade-offs involved in different strategies. We’ll explore the essential framework of “spend it, gift it, or insure it” and understand how these principles apply in practice. We’d expect you to cover residence nil rate bands, tapering rules, and gifting allowances, alongside practical solutions like life cover. You’ll also touch on the importance of Wills and Powers of Attorney, and there may even be some discussion of deed variations.

Topic 2: IHT Planning – Advanced scenario

If you’re with basic IHT concepts and want to tackle more complex planning scenarios involving multiple strategies and significant assets, this is the hour for you. You’ll navigate the complexities of advanced planning strategies, examining real-world trade-offs and the practical challenges of implementing sophisticated solutions, including the order of gifting, trust planning, and business relief considerations. With pensions now in the IHT net from 2027, you’ll explore how pension planning intersects with inheritance tax strategy. The session will examine when and how to use different planning tools and the consequences of getting the sequencing wrong. You don’t have to have attended the basic IHT planning to attend this session.

Topic 3: Retirement Income Planning – Foundation scenario

If you who want to strengthen your understanding of retirement income options and, particularly, build your confidence around annuity recommendations, this is the session for you. In discussion with your paraplanning peers, you’ll get a comprehensive grounding in the core retirement income options available to clients. The session will cover the fundamentals of drawdown versus annuities, tax-free cash decisions, securing essential income, and how State Pension fits into the picture.

Topic 4: Retirement Income Planning – Advanced scenario

If you are comfortable with retirement income products but want to enhance your skills in creating comprehensive, client-focused retirement strategies that meet FCA expectations, this is for you.

In discussion with your fellow paraplanners, you’ll explore sophisticated techniques for capturing client requirements, categorising needs into essential, desired, and legacy funds, and creating robust cash flow models. You’ll discuss tax wrapper strategies, sequencing risk, and how to build retirement plans that will withstand regulatory scrutiny while truly serving client needs.

1300: Lunch

Locally sourced and freshly prepared, we guarantee that this will be a *chef’s kiss* of a lunch for you to tuck into. Bon appetit!

Paraplanner share a meal at a wooden picnic benches outdoors in a rural setting. The tables are filled with food and drinks. Behind the diners, farmland stretches to the horizon. In the foreground, a stone wall adds rustic charm. Foliage frames the scene, including vivid orange berries.
1400: Your career, your choice: Designing your professional future

Ever wondered what your ideal paraplanning career would actually look like? Or maybe you’re feeling uncertain about where you’re headed professionally? Both curiosity about possibilities and concerns about the future are natural parts of career development.

In this part of the day, paraplanner Zara Okoro (Abacus Associates, PFS Paraplanning Panel member) will help you explore these questions and move from wondering what might happen next to actively shaping what you want to happen.

You’ll dig into what really drives you professionally, where your strengths lie, and how to turn sector changes into career opportunities. This isn’t about abstract planning – it’s about practical steps you can take to become the kind of team member your firm genuinely values.

Whether you’re early in your career or well-established, this session works for anyone ready to take ownership of their professional development. You’ll walk away knowing where to focus your efforts and how your career growth can benefit both you and your employer.

1515: Break

There may be ice cream.

The Dairy at Honeydale" with a simple cow illustration is visible in the foreground. It's fixed to a blue-green structure horsebox around which, In the background, a group of people are gathered. Some are holding ice cream cones.
1545: All Together Now

Led by Big Day Out hosts Aleks Sasin and Chris Wormwell, this open session hands the floor over to you. Whether you want to dig deeper into topics covered earlier, raise something completely new, or simply pick the brains of the experts and fellow paraplanners in the room – it’s entirely up to you.

No set agenda, no predetermined topics. Just the opportunity to have the conversations that matter to you right now, with a room full of people who understand the challenges and opportunities you’re facing. Come with questions, insights, or just curiosity about what others are thinking.

1630: Cheerio and close

Questions and answers

Jump to

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Where can I stay?

Chipping Norton (10 mins drive to FarmED): the nearest town to FarmED and there are a number of hotels and pubs with rooms in the town centre: Premier Inn; Kings Arms; Crown & Cushion and The Fox.

The rates at the Premier Inn are remarkably expensive, we’re afraid. The combination of the annual Fair in Chipping Norton plus the proximity of Soho Farmhouse, Daylesford Farm and Diddly Squat perhaps inflating prices. The rates at the Kings Arms, Crown & Cushions and The Fox do seem reasonable compared to previous years at the moment.

Shipton-under-Wychwood (5 mins drive to FarmED): the nearest village to FarmED and there are some really good options there which appear reasonably priced for September: The Crown, Wychwood Inn and Lamb Inn.

Long Compton (20 mins drive to FarmED): The Red Lion is a popular country pub with rooms. Long Compton is on the main road from Oxford to Shipston-on-Stour. It’s a little bit north of Chipping Norton but you can reach FarmED without having to drive via Chipping Norton. Speaking of Shipston-on-Stour…

Shipston-on-Stour (30 mins drive to FarmED): There are a number of places to stay in the centre of this market town including The George Townhouse, The Lazy Pug, The White Bear and The Bower House Restaurant and Rooms

Banbury (30 min drive to FarmED): Don’t rule out Banbury too. It’s just a 30 minute drive from Banbury Cross to FarmED with a Premier Inn in the centre of town and one on the outskirts by the M40. However, the newly refurbished Whateley Hall, which is just a stone’s throw from Banbury Cross itself, is offering good rates too at the moment. The operator of the Big Night In BBQ coach is based in Banbury so, if you decide to book a room in Banbury, let us know, and we can arrange for the coach’s first stop to be in Banbury.

Burford (15 mins drive to FarmED). Burford’s a popular tourist spot so the hotels do tend to be very pricey. But it’s an option and there’s a Travelodge too so it may be worth a look.

Airbnb: we haven’t researched Airbnb but, because it’s a popular tourist destination, there may well be B&Bs available for overnight stays within an easy drive of

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What if I need to be careful about what I eat?

You can let us know if there are any foods you’d like to avoid for the Big Day Out and the Big Night In as part of the checkout process. (By the way, because it’s a working farm, FarmED’s kitchen uses organic produce grown in its own fields so you’re in for the FRESHEST ingredients imaginable!)

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How accessible is FarmED for people who use wheelchairs or have other needs?

Our event takes place in FarmED’s award-winning buildings. There are no steps in any of the buildings. Wide side doors can be opened to assist wheelchair access. Assistance dogs are welcome in the buildings. There are two disabled car parking spaces next to the entrance of the main building.

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I’m not a paraplanner or administrator. Can I take part?

Assemblies are designed by paraplanners for paraplanners and we also welcome administrators, so if you are not one please don’t book a ticket. If you’re still really interested in coming along then get in touch with us at [email protected].

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What is FarmED?

FarmED’s mission is to provide learning spaces and events that inspire, educate and connect people to build sustainable farming and food systems that nourish people and regenerate the planet. These really chime with the Assembly’s role in the lives of paraplanners. (Plus it’s a lovely venue.)

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Will there be photography at the event?

Yes. We love a good a photo featuring our events so don’t be surprised if you spot a photographer or Assembly host lurking with a camera. If you don’t want to appear in photographs that we publish online, please let us know when you arrive at the event.

The choices clients make during the 5-10 years either side of retirement can decide how comfortable they’ll be once they stop working.

In fact, it’s such a distinctive stage in our financial lives that, among a growing number of advice professionals, it’s known as the ‘retirement risk zone’.

The data says – and you’ll know this yourself – that clients tend to become more risk-averse on their approach to retirement. Yet the likelihood of longer lifespans – and the costs associated with it – mean that ‘playing it safe’ could actually prove to be risky.

What’s more, persistent economic uncertainty and instability, not forgetting the FCA’s retirement income review exposing gaps in advice quality, means hatching a plan that helps clients swerve unnecessary risks around retirement has never been more important.

Zone in on the risks in one lunch hour

In this online Assembly Connor Stewart from Standard Life joins host, Richard Allum, to explore the features of the retirement risk zone.

Together they consider the risks that can trip clients up – things like the shift from accumulation to decumulation, sequencing returns, and adapting to changing financial priorities in an uncertain world – before considering practical ways to tackle them.

Tune in now

Listen and you’ll hear practical ideas to help guide clients through one of the trickiest phases of their financial lives. So how about it? Fancy zoning in on retirement risk? Then tune in now.

What knowledge, experience and skills will help you get hired? And, once you are hired, how will you know you’ve actually made the right choice?

Whether you want to get into paraplanning, are just starting out, or know someone who would love to get their break, this online Assembly – recorded on 9 July 2025 – is jam-packed with insights on making your move into paraplanning.

Hear for yourself how our guests took their unique paths into paraplanning

Host Caroline Stuart is joined by paraplanning guests Chris Wormwell, Ceetal Katechia and Kez Condy, plus personal development expert Sarah Purves of Aegon.

Over the course of one podcast, you’ll discover how each of our paraplanners took very different routes into the profession.

One is a former barista who swapped one daily grind for another kind altogether. Then there’s the university marketer who yearned to change career. Finally, there’s the ex-administrator who set their heart on changing lanes into paraplanning.

Among the topics covered are

Let’s be honest, how many of us can claim that we had our careers sussed out from day one? So don’t miss this fantastic chance to listen, learn and take your first step into paraplanning.

Don’t forget your CPD

Once you’ve listened to this Assembly, you can request a certificate for 1½ hours CPD. Just follow the link below.


Thank you Aegon

This online Assembly would not be possible without the generous support of Aegon. Thank you to the team at Aegon for supporting this Assembly – and for backing the development of paraplanners and paraplanning in the UK through their support of the Paraplanners’ Assembly.

Now don’t take this the wrong way, but is there a chance that last time you put together recommendations or financial plans for a woman, the approach was unknowingly influenced by assumptions that generally apply to a man?

As paraplanners, we have the power to directly influence financial outcomes that are better for women – whether we’re reviewing fact finds, drafting recommendations, or creating financial plans.

But are we truly creating plans for the individuals in front of us? Or are we unwittingly relying on conventional thinking and assumptions which are actually more likely to be rooted in men’s experiences rather than women’s?

It matters because, more often than not, women’s financial lives are very different to men’s. So to deliver genuinely effective financial planning, it’s important to understand the differences and how to adapt our approach.

A chance to challenge your thinking

In the recording of this online Assembly, host Sam Tonks invited Sam Secomb of Women’s Wealth and Susan Hope of Scottish Widows to explore how paraplanners can better understand and address the unique financial planning needs of women.

Together, they discussed women’s distinctive financial journeys and the stark disparities that exist – including the startling 30 per cent gender pension gap – and asked how paraplanners can help create better financial outcomes for female clients. During the session Sam, Susan and Sam discuss

– what makes women’s financial experience so different from men’s
– the real-world impact of the ‘parenthood penalty’ on long-term financial planning
– our assumptions about vulnerabilities, risk profiles and investment preferences
– practical strategies paraplanners can implement to better serve female clients

What will you learn from this Assembly?

You’ll gain actionable insights that we’re certain will help you improve your paraplanning approach, challenge conventional thinking and assumptions, and help deliver more tailored financial plans for your female clients.

Plus, you’ll discover practical tools and ideas so you’re equipped to improve financial outcomes for women right away.

Interested? Then tune in now.

Remember our Assembly on annuity essentials back in March?

Over the course of one lunch-hour, Andy Powell from Standard Life walked us through the basics of annuities – how they work, the differences between pension and purchased life annuities, and the kinds of options available like inflation protection and guarantee periods.

Now annuity expert Andy is back and he’s taking things a little bit further.

In the second of his two-part guide to annuities essentials for paraplanners he talks to host, Richard Allum, about how annuities can feature as part of your clients’ retirement income strategies. For instance, among the practical planning tips that go beyond the basics, are things like:

After years of being out of fashion, annuities have been enjoying a bit of a renaissance lately. So what better time to refresh your annuities knowledge and – who knows? – maybe challenge your thinking about how they can contribute to a client’s retirement strategy these days?

Fancy topping up your annuities knowledge? Then tune in now.

When it comes to the idea of innovation are you more likely to radiate Ted Lasso energy rather than Roy Kent? More Bandit than Bluey? Or put another way (that doesn’t rely on eclectic TV viewing habits): does the prospect of change make you feel more ‘Yeah!’ than ‘Meh!’? 

The reason we ask is that we were inspired by paraplanner Zara Okoro’s recent thought-provoking article in Professional Paraplanner all about innovation. So we invited Zara from Abacus Associates, who’s also a PFS Paraplanner Panel member, to share her thoughts on how paraplanners can adapt rather than risk getting left behind.

Alongside Zara, we were joined by PSA Financial Services’ head of paraplanning, Ceetal Katechia, to join in the conversation. Ceetal has bags of practical experience in creating team environments in which new ideas flourish.

Together with host Richard Allum, this Assembly asked what innovation actually looks like, whether it’s always a good thing, what fuels it, and how can you influence it when you’re not the decision-maker?

It’s an Assembly that’s all about how you can embrace innovation and shape our profession rather than be subject to changes happening around you.

What can you expect when you listen?

You’ll come away with practical ideas to try out, whether you’re looking to improve your processes and workflow, make better use of existing tools and tech, or create space for bigger changes in your work.

Most of all, this is a chance to step back from day-to-day demands and take a few moments for yourself to think about how even small changes can shape your role and influence the direction of your career in paraplanning.

How often do you recommend investment bonds compared to ISAs or GIAs for non-pension money these days?

If it’s rarely or not at all, that’s not so surprising.

Because bonds seem to have become a bit neglected planning option in recent years haven’t they?

It’s a trend which means that paraplanners can be forgiven for being a bit rusty when it comes to the latest investment bond knowledge.

Yet they’re an option which offers plenty of planning potential. So we thought it was about time we hosted an online Assembly where you can rekindle your bond with bonds.

So you’re invited to join us online at 1pm on Wednesday 16th April for a lunch-hour refresher on the essentials of investment bonds.

To guide us, we’ll be joined by bond expert, M&G’s Barrie Dawson, who plans to cover:

Whether bonds are something you’re just getting to grips with, or you just need a refresher, this Assembly will offer clarity about when and how bonds bonds can feature in your planning recommendations.

Learn, fix, share

It’s an Assembly, so feel free to ask questions and share ideas with other paraplanners in the chat. Oh and CPD certificates will be available for all attendees (just look out for the link at the conclusion of this Assembly).

Book your spot now.

Sound interesting? Then tap ‘Book event’ to save your spot and we’ll see you there!