In this Issue: – Tax briefs – Finance bill 2009 – Inheritance tax / revenue penalties – Business briefs – Legal briefs – Dow jones index 1900 – 2008

Quite often, in family businesses, the importance of careful planning for the passing of the control and ownership of a family business does not get the attention that it merits. In terms of planning, succession is not regarded as a business issue – indeed succession can often be regarded as a nonbusiness issue to be addressed by the owner entrepreneur at some point in the future “when the time is right”. In the current economic environment when most forms of property are at their lowest valuation in decades the time may just be right for optimum succession planning.