In the second of two specially recorded bite-sized Assemblies, Barnett Waddingham’s James Jones-Tinsley returns to tackle six items of new pension terminology including:

For each item, expect an easy-to-understand definition that also offers a bit of background per term. 

In a world that’s awash with word soups and acronyms, James’s jargon buster offers a welcome source of straightforward explanations of often quite complex ideas.

You can also watch the video of this episode on Vimeo or the event page at our website.

Can’t get enough pensions jargon?

Then look out for part one, where James tackles even more new pension terms.

In the meantime, why not tune into James’s trio of old pensions jargon guides? Scroll down and follow the links to watch the videos and podcasts (and visit the event pages for each episode.)

After his popular ‘Plain English guide to old pensions jargon’ Barnett Waddingham’s James Jones-Tinsley has returned to record two specials on new pension terminology called – and we bet you’ll never guess this – ‘A plain English guide to new pensions jargon’ (parts one and two).

In part one, James’s conversation covers five essential terms:

For each item, expect an easy-to-understand definition that also offers a bit of background per term. 

In a world that’s awash with word soups and acronyms, James’s jargon buster offers a welcome source of straightforward explanations of often quite complex ideas.

You can also watch the video of this episode on Vimeo or the event page at our website.

Can’t get enough pensions jargon?

Then look out for part two, where James will tackle even more new pension terms.

In the meantime, why not tune into James’s trio of old pensions jargon guides here in podcast or video formats? (Or visit the event pages for each episode at our website.)

Following his popular Assembly debut in February, Jon Hall returns to finish his exploration of protection essentials at 1pm on Wednesday 2 April 2025.

And this time it’s the essentials of business protection that the Scottish Widows’ protection expert will be focusing on.

And with good reason.

A Swiss Re report in 2024 claimed that of almost 1.4 million new protection policies sold in the UK in 2023, just 2.8% were related to business protection and relevant life policies [1]. And in a country where 99.8% of the 5.6 million privately owned businesses are SMEs – that’s according to the UK Government data – it doesn’t half seem like there’s a BIG business protection gap in the UK. (The source of those stats, you ask? See below.)

The chances are you’ll have business owners among your clients. And plenty of you run your own businesses as outsourced and freelance paraplanners.

So what happens when someone running a business becomes critically ill or dies? What steps can you take to address the risk? How do you start a conversation about business protection?

Tune in to hear Jon as he shares his expertise on:

Whether you want to develop your knowledge or make sure clients with business have the right plans in place, you’ll find this Assembly really valuable.

PS.

Shortly after the event, Jon popped over to The Big Tent and answered questions that paraplanners had raised during the gathering, but he hadn’t had time to answer live, in a dedicated thread. Be sure to take a look at his responses.

[1] The Business Protection Opportunity.

From April 2025, the rules determining who pays UK inheritance tax are changing. 

Instead of the complex domicile rules, a new ‘long-term residency’ test will decide whether someone’s worldwide assets fall into the IHT net.

Discover what’s changing

In this episode, Utmost’s international technical sales manager, Steve Sayer, explores how the new rules could affect clients in a range of scenarios – whether they’re UK residents planning to retire abroad or people returning home after years overseas.

Using worked examples, Steve demonstrates how changes affect trust planning, and explains when trusts might shift between excluded and relevant property status. He also touches on the implications of pension death benefits becoming subject to IHT from 2027.

Who is this Assembly for?

Whether you’re already dealing with cross-border IHT planning or want to understand how these changes might create new planning opportunities, this session is a great way to get to grips with the new framework.

What are the learning outcomes?

By the end of this podcast, you’ll understand the post April 2025 changes to:

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

CPD: Take the quiz to receive your certificate

Want to learn more? Then tune in now.

Think you know how to stay safe online? No matter how tech security savvy you think you are, even people who have never known a world without the web can fall victim to sophisticated scams (listen out for the case of a 20 year old digital native who nearly lost £000s in a fake HMRC email scam). 

Which is why you should tune in to this eye-opening conversation with Sarah Coles, Parmenion’s head of cyber and resilience. 

As a seasoned cybersecurity expert, whose blog posts have acquired almost cult status among readers of the Assembly’s monthly newsletter, Sarah has spent a decade protecting wealth management professionals and practices. In this conversation with host Richard Allum, Sarah shares five practical tips that will help shield you and your business from a world of cyber threats.

Be in the know

Want to know why storing passwords in your browser might be riskier than you think? Or why relying on SMS codes for two-factor authentication could leave you vulnerable? Sarah breaks down complex security concepts into actionable steps you can implement right away.

In fewer than 30 minutes, you’ll discover:

Whether you’re a solo paraplanner or part of a larger team, this conversation offers valuable insights for protecting not only your practice and your clients’ sensitive information but your personal information too. 

Tune in and adopt healthy habits

These days, good security isn’t just about the tech you use. It’s about developing smart habits that become second nature. Tune in and, in half an hour, you could be setting out on a lifetime of freshly minted healthy cyber security habits.

You can’t beat a good case study or two for discovering and consolidating technical knowledge, insights and practical ideas. 

So you’re going to love this special episode in which Steve Sayer of Utmost International explores not one, not two, but three case studies that – together – spotlight essential planning considerations for clients who have spent time overseas, and have invested abroad or hold offshore bonds.

Because in this hour-long case study investigation special, Steve steers us through time apportionment relief, personal portfolio bonds and deficiency relief.

Time apportionment relief: The lion’s share of the recording focuses on time apportionment relief – a vital consideration for clients who spend time abroad or return to the UK with existing investments. Steve shows how pre- and post-2013 rules can significantly impact tax calculations, explores the potentially valuable concept of ‘material interest periods’ and covers plenty more besides.

Personal portfolio bonds: Using case study scenarios, Steve illustrates the potential pitfalls of non-compliant policies and the hefty tax implications of deemed gains.

Deficiency relief: Steve offers a comprehensive overview of the applications of deficiency relief and considers its limitations.

It’s no accident that Steve’s sessions are some of the most popular among paraplanners. His forensic knowledge, clarity of explanation and use of case studies bring topics to life and make episodes like this a must-watch or listen.

Grab your CPD

Scroll down the page and you’ll find links to receive a certificate for your CPD records plus a link to download a copy of Steve’s slides.

Ever wondered how platform’s manage your client’s cash?

In this bite-sized Assembly, Transact’s Glen Sweet reveals all.

You’ll learn how a platform like Transact calculates the aggregate interest earned across a client’s daily trading and longer-term deposit accounts. And also that, because of differences in charging from platform to platform, it’s important to take a closer look at whether and how charges affect interest returned to clients.

If you’re interested in fixed-term deposits on platforms, Glen covers that too.

And let’s not forget about HMRC. Glen explains how different wrappers handle cash interest – from tax-free ISAs to the more complex general investment accounts (GIA).

And finally, did you know there’s a trend among some businesses in the UK – at least at the time of publication in September 2024 – to move corporate cash on to platforms? Tune in to find out why.

When it comes to gaining and maintaining inheritance tax (IHT) planning know-how and expertise, nothing beats a good case study.

So this special case study investigation, which features not one but two client examples, is bound to be right up your street.

Join Steve and Richard as they crack the case

Because in this 50-minute episode, Utmost International’s Steve Sayer joins host, Richard Allum, to explore why reversionary interest trusts (RITs) combined with the available nil rate band (NRB) threshold, can become a powerful and flexible feature of a client’s IHT strategy.

In a conversation that’s packed with practical insights, ideas and expertise, tax and trusts expert Steve unpacks two case studies which will help you:

– understand the mechanics and key features of a RIT
– consider planning opportunities using RITs especially in conjunction with other options
– be able to discuss and explain RITs and NRB with a client in a clear and concise way
– apply this knowledge to appropriate, individual, client scenarios

Whether you’re a seasoned paraplanner who wants to keep your knowledge fresh or the role of RITs in IHT planning is new territory for you, we’re sure you’ll enjoy the hands-on learning offered by this expert discussion.

Watch or listen now

Just follow the links for a CPD certificate and downloads.

To mark Independence Day in the United States, we thought we’d treat you to a bonus episode: a bite-sized Assembly that’s all about investing for US expats living in the UK.

Because despite being citizens of the ‘land of the free’, once they leave the USA’s shores, expat savers and investors often face complex challenges to stay on the right side of the US equivalent of HMRC: the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

So what do paraplanners in the UK need to know to support US expat clients? Who better to ask for expert knowledge and insight than a specialist in investing for US expats: Canaccord Genuity’s Laurence Leigh.

In this bite-sized Assembly, Laurence explores:

In just ten minutes, Laurence covers the dos and don’ts of advising US expats, the limitations of UK platforms, and the severe penalties for non-compliance.

It’s an episode packed with practical advice that will give you confidence in ensuring US expat clients can invest effectively and stay compliant on both sides of the Atlantic.

Brian Radbone, Technical Counsel at Transact, joins Richard to unpack the post-lifetime allowance (LTA) world and its consequences for paraplanners.

In a bite-sized Assembly lasting less than eight minutes, Brian explores transition certificates, new lump sum allowances, and why timing is everything when it comes to crystallising benefits. Plus he discusses the importance of understanding provider restrictions.

If you’re in the market for a post-LTA primer but are pushed for time, this Assembly is ideal.