Catherine Desmond

Hello

I am Head of Landed Estates and Rural Business based in Ashbourne but operating across several counties. I also advise on  Private Client Services. I have over 20 years’ experience of looking after a broad client base, from large landed estates to owners of family businesses. I also provide tax planning advice to independently wealthy individuals.

What can I do for you and your family?

Putting the needs of you and your family at the forefront of everything I do, I can offer a holistic approach to planning your financial and tax affairs.

I believe that it is vital that the interests of businesses and their owners are well looked after and very carefully balanced, particularly when it comes to tax planning and preventing wealth erosion!

I like to work closely with my clients and their families and provide joined-up advice along with their other professional advisers in a clear, proactive way that caters for their individual needs.

Experience counts

After studying law in Nottingham, I went on to qualify as a chartered tax adviser with a top-ten firm of accountants. Before joining PKF Smith Cooper, I was a partner at Saffery Champness within the private wealth and landed estates team.

I have been providing advice to clients for over two decades on their business planning and the taxation implications of key life events such as business start-ups and exits, marriage, family succession, and planning for retirement.

Deeper knowledge

Whilst I have experience across accounts and all of the taxes and how they interlink, my particular areas of expertise centre on property taxes, succession planning for land and businesses and capital taxes (Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax). I also have a wealth of experience in using and maintaining trusts for asset protection and succession planning.

I have worked with individuals and their business interests across many sectors, but I have a particular interest in rural businesses, from small farms to large landed estates (including some very diverse businesses) and have a detailed understanding of the particular issues they face on a day-to-day basis as well as specific issues such as land sales or succession.

For some years, I have been a guest speaker on tax issues at conferences covering budget updates, inheritance tax and succession planning, and rural tax issues, and I have also contributed numerous articles for external professional publications and the farming press.

I am very active within the CLA as the Vice Chair of the Derbyshire branch and a member of the National Tax Committee.

Personally speaking

Outside the office, I enjoy walking locally in the Peak District and making the most of being a taxi service for my football and hockey mad teenagers, as well as trying to keep fit at PT sessions. I also confess to a fascination with historical fiction, films and the odd period drama when I get a few moments to unwind.