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ESG Diligence: The Key To Sustainable M&A Transactions
AAB / Our Team / Kelly Ayton
Meet the Private Client team
Meet the Trusts & Estates team
Directors of companies. Trustees. Individuals & families. International clients.
Personal tax affairs. Tax returns. Capital Gains Tax. Income tax. Inheritance tax. Trust administration and reporting requirements. Distribution planning. CGT planning. Trust accounts.
Business Advisory Services team.
Kelly Ayton is a Manager within our Private Client team. With a portfolio of personal tax clients, trust clients, and partnerships, her role involves reviewing personal tax returns, and helping clients with income tax, Capital Gains Tax, and Inheritance Tax queries.
For her Trust clients, Kelly’s role involves reviewing trust accounts, completing Inheritance Tax (IHT) forms, advising on income distributions and Capital Gains tax planning. She also has experience with the Trust Registration Service (TRS) and has been involved in advisory projects, mainly focussing on IHT planning for individuals. She also has non-UK resident clients in her personal tax portfolio.
Kelly works hard for clients providing a variety of services, including managing individuals’ personal tax affairs, helping with the reporting requirements (personal tax returns and Capital Gains Tax returns), helping answer any queries relating to income tax, Capital Gains Tax, IHT planning, and more.
For Trustees of trusts that Kelly looks after, she helps with administration and reporting requirements – such as Trust Registration Service, tax returns, IHT forms) – as well as distribution planning, CGT planning, and helping to explain entries in the trust accounts.
“One of the key elements of an ideal relationship with a client would be their confidence in our ability – having that mutual trust is really important in underpinning a positive relationship, and it’s always our goal for clients to feel totally at ease knowing their affairs are being looked after.
It’s also important that clients feel comfortable contacting us with any queries they may have. It’s great as well as when clients feel confident in asking us to help other people they may know, such as colleagues or family members. It’s always really nice when clients are happy to recommend our services due to the quality of service they have received from us.”
“Clients of course expect support with their tax affairs whenever they need it, and with any queries or issues that may arise, as well as timely responses to emails and phone calls which we’re always sure to give. They also expect us to be thinking about the bigger picture rather than just their personal tax affairs – i.e. to make them aware of any planning opportunities for them that might be available! We also ensure we keep them completely up to date and informed of any changes in tax legislation which may affect them.”
“For me, the most satisfying aspect of working for an individual or a couple is when you get to know their family too and start looking after other family members. I look after parents, their children, and their grandchildren. It’s a privilege to be able to help an entire family, and makes the work even more enjoyable.
When it comes to working with colleagues, the most satisfying part is helping to train more junior team members. I love seeing them progress and work towards becoming a portfolio manager, and eventually seeing them help train new graduates themselves!”
“In terms of communication, I think more clients are willing to have virtual meetings, as they can fit in better with their working hours or other commitments. Some of my clients also don’t live locally to Leeds, so although we may not meet them in person, it is always good to see them over a screen.
I do feel in general that it’s easier to build stronger relationships by meeting clients in person, and it is also easier to read when a client perhaps doesn’t understand something or needs further clarification. It is also sometimes better to discuss complex topics in person. However, I’m happy to adapt to whichever methods of communication are more convenient for the client.”
“For trusts, the greatest challenge is the changes in the reporting requirements on the Trust Registration Service (TRS). Although we are now all familiar with these changes, when the changes came in, we needed to ensure clients were informed, that as a team we understood the changes and that we communicated it clearly to the rest of the team in Leeds. For personal tax, the greatest challenge is probably just keeping up with changes in tax rules – they seem to be constant!”
“One of the things I really appreciate about AAB is the ethos of positivity, enthusiasm, and fun. There’s always a range of social events being organised, which help build relationships within the Private Client team but also with team members across other departments. There’s an open plan office which I like, as it means I’m able to speak to a range of people. Although work can be stressful at times, it’s a nice atmosphere in the office and you can have a chat or laugh with colleagues – I think this helps everyone stay positive. I think this ethos also influences our relationships with clients too, because when you have a really strong relationship with a client, there are calls and meetings where you do laugh with them, and I think everyone appreciates that.”
“I bring a lot of strengths to AAB generally, namely my teamwork and leadership skills – for example, I helped lead the transfer of an internal system in the Trust team. I always help other colleagues when I can and input into meetings and discussions when I have an idea to put forward. I feel as though more junior team members find me approachable which is great, and they know they can ask me questions whenever they are stuck.”
“I recently acted for a personal tax client where there was a complex disposal to include on his tax return. He then referred two other colleagues to me and then one of these new clients referred another colleague to me. It affirmed to me that I was doing a good job, and it felt great to have this recognised for it.”
“When someone asks what I do for work, I see it most with family friends, and when I respond and say that I work in tax, it completely stops the conversation, or I get the usual groan. I usually try and remember to say accountant because it gets a better response. Understandably, no one likes the idea of paying taxes, but I think they think I am partly to blame for this!”