Tax Planning Summer School (Accountancy) - 2026 Virtual Conference

Introduction

Accountancy firms are operating in an environment where client expectations, regulatory demands, and the breadth of advisory work continue to expand, and this conference is designed to help firms meet that challenge with confidence.

Chaired by Russell Cockburn, the programme brings together experienced practitioners from across tax, client advisory, and practice management to share practical frameworks, clearer ways to structure conversations, and strategies that strengthen both technical delivery and commercial impact. Throughout the sessions, you will explore how to elevate your advisory approach, support clients through complex decisions, and build stronger and more adaptable relationships for the future.

Conference Agenda

This live and interactive 2.5 hour conference will cover the following:

10:00am-10:35am: A Practical Tax Planning Framework for SME's: How to Structure Your Advice Effectively

Russell Cockburn, Bluebell House Consultants

Let's consider how we approach advising clients about tax planning. What do they want/need and what are the important issues to address in any tax planning scenario right from the start? How do we deal with clients' misconceptions and get them on board with understanding the scope of our advice? Who is important, who are the decision makers, and how should we fit our tax advice into their business and life planning? What are the important timing aspects and can we devise a general planning framework to cover most critical tax events in their business and family cycle?

Learning Outcomes:

• Identify significant client events that trigger planning opportunities and engage with clients effectively around them
• Position planning conversations within an appropriate and clearly defined advisory framework
• Understand and articulate the added value that effective tax planning brings to the client relationship

10:35am-11:10am: Succession Planning Conversations - Helping Clients Choose Their Exit

Nick Wright, Head of Corporate Tax, Jerroms Miller

When business owners begin thinking about succession, the range of potential exit routes can feel overwhelming. This session focuses on the first discovery conversation with a client and how advisers can help narrow down the options. We will explore the key succession routes including third-party sales, employee ownership trusts (EOTs), management buyouts (MBOs), and liquidation and discuss the commercial, personal, and tax factors that often influence the direction a client ultimately takes. The session will provide a practical framework for structuring those early discussions and identifying which route may be most appropriate.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the main succession routes available to owner-managed businesses and the key characteristics of each (e.g. third-party sale, EOT, MBO, liquidation)
• Identify the commercial, personal, and tax factors that influence which succession route may be appropriate for different clients
• Develop a structured approach to the first client discovery conversation to help narrow down succession options efficiently

Morning Break

11:20am-11:55am: Navigating HMRC Enquiries Today and Preparing Clients for Tomorrow

David Francis & Louisa Beciri, Grant Thornton

In this session, Dave and Louisa will cover the current tax landscape and pressure HMRC is facing and how this impacts their compliance activity. They will also cover how you can manage risk when dealing with HMRC enquiries and disclosures and what documents you can retain to support with any future activity from HMRC, given the anticipated increase in this area.

Learning Outcomes:

• An understanding of current HMRC activity
• An understanding of strategies which can be used to manage risk when handling HMRC enquiries and disclosures
• An understanding of how you can prepare for any future activity from HMRC

11:55am-12:30pm: Pricing: How to Charge What You Are Worth

Della Hudson FCA, Minerva Accountants, Speaker, Author and Business Coach

Have you ever wondered how can you charge enough to do a job of which you can be proud? How to provide more services to existing clients without feeling as though you’re ripping them off? And how you can set about those awkward conversations about actually increasing your prices?

Della Hudson FCA is an entrepreneur and founder of two accountancy practices so she’s been there, done it, and written the book (well, 3 books actually). Della is more than just a theoretician and she will provide advice on how to do all of this based on experience in a real accountancy practice.

This session will give you a clear plan:

• Why it helps your clients to charge a reasonable fee
• How to use pricing as part of your marketing
• How to have those difficult conversations when prices need to be increased

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.