Sarah Burns

I take a very personal approach with my clients. Building and maintaining strong relationships is my core focus to ensure clients know that I am happy to assist them with anything they may need. Being a tax adviser, you often retain your clients for a long period of time and get to know them really well, which is what makes my job so interesting. When providing guidance, I always try to imagine that I am the client so that the advice I give is tailored to each of their own unique needs.

I manage a diverse portfolio of clients from high net worth individuals to large corporate groups. My work mainly focuses on providing tax advice with a key goal being to help minimise our client’s exposure to a variety of taxes, including corporation tax, inheritance tax and income tax. Some of the more obscure areas of tax that I have been involved in relate to our corporate clients, for instance clients who are subject to Tonnage Tax and assisting those who wish to take advantage of claiming Research and Development tax relief.

If you’re interested…

I graduated with a degree in Politics from Liverpool University and joined Gerald Edelman in 2011. I went on to become a member of the Associate of Taxation Technicians in 2012, qualifying as a Chartered Tax Adviser in 2014. I later obtained my certificate in Probate and Estate Administration in 2017.

What one piece of advice would you give your 10-year-old self?

You are more confident than you realise, and you should never hold yourself back from whatever opportunities life throws at you.

If you could have dinner with anyone who would it be?

Henry VIII – I have always been fascinated by the Tudors and studied them as part of my History A Level. I can imagine a Tudor feast would be quite extravagant (which may explain why he weighed nearly 400 pounds when he died). I would just have to hope his six wives did not turn up.

Who inspires you?

Everyone and anyone. Growing up I would have said my grandparents and parents but more broadly anyone who strives to make the world a better place and empowers others too.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation – Not only would it save a lot of time, but I would not have to endure the flight time on my dream holiday to Hawaii. Also, who wouldn’t want to avoid the commute on the tube.