Massimo Cairo

Trusts & Estates Executive

Massimo works in the Life Planning department, where he helps individuals and families plan for the future with tailored advice on Wills, Taxes, Trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney, and Probate. He enjoys guiding clients through what can often feel like a complex and daunting process, making it as straightforward and stress-free as possible.

His specialism lies in inheritance tax (IHT) and cross-border probates and trusts. With a strong focus on IHT planning, Massimo is passionate about helping clients find effective solutions to safeguard their assets.

LinkedIn Profile:

As a native Italian speaker, he is also particularly experienced in assisting with Italian cross-border estates and the interaction between UK and European succession laws.

Massimo holds a diploma in Economy and Business from Italy and a 2:1 degree in Law from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Recent work

  • Inheritance Tax Exemption – successfully claiming that no inheritance tax due on a property where the deceased was the sole registered proprietor but lived with their parent who provided the funds for the purchase.
  • Inheritance Tax Refund – securing inheritance tax refunds for an estate with several trusts and a complex structure.
  • HMRC Agreement Secured – obtaining HMRC agreement over inheritance tax where both non-exempt and exempt beneficiaries were entitled to the estate. In particular, where refurbishment was carried out on a deceased property, the grossing up and treatment of the refurbishment costs were treated as a gift.
  • Navigating Multi-Beneficiary Intestacy – administering a complex intestacy with multiple beneficiaries.
  • Navigating European and UK Non-Resident Trusts – assisting with cross-border trust settlements involving both Europe and UK non-resident trusts.
  • Administering International Estates – managing a cross-border estate by gathering the necessary deeds to administer assets in non-UK countries.
Massimo’s Dinner Guest would be:

If I could have dinner with a famous person, it would be Steve Jobs. The reason is that he shared my perspective on work. Therefore, I’m sure we would have lots to talk about. He often said that he was so passionate about his job that he would do it for free. Similarly, if money weren’t such an important factor in my life, I would gladly do my job for free as well. I believe that if you’re truly passionate about what you do, and remain open to learning and receiving feedback, you’ll always keep that spark of excitement and the drive to excel.

  • Kindness and Support

    I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your help.
    Your kindness and support have meant so much to me. You are not only an outstanding professional but also a genuinely wonderful human being. 
    The way you treat people with respect, compassion and understanding is truly admirable.
     
    With my sincere appreciation 
     
    CONCHETA WOODWARD 
    September 2026

  • Taking Away the Stress from Me

    I instructed Garner & Hancock Solicitors to handle the Probate and tax matters relating to my late brother’s Estate. I was introduced to Massimo Cairo, Trusts and Estates Executive, who I found to be polite, very professional and knowledgeable. Massimo was always very helpful and speedy to respond to any queries I raised and, most importantly, kept me informed of the progress of the process throughout. There was also transparency concerning fees and admin costs and how these arose.
    I am very grateful to Massimo and his team who took on the paperwork required to get Probate and dealt with HMRC to settle the tax associated with the Estate, thereby taking away from me all the stress of the situation.
    I highly recommend Garner & Hancock and especially Massimo Cairo, who l could not fault.
    Sally Mason
    June 2026
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