Budget changes put practice managers at the centre of structure and succession decisions

Changes to service trusts and capital gains tax could bring forward major decisions for medical practice owners, with practice managers often responsible for understanding, communicating and implementing those changes.

At the 2026 AAPM National Conference in Brisbane, Stuart Chan, Partner at Cutcher & Neale, will unpack what the changes mean for practice managers and owners in sessions focused on service trusts and practice succession.

The two topics are increasingly intertwined. Chan says changes to service trust arrangements may prompt some owners to rethink financial and operational plans, including expanding or selling, bringing succession conversations forward.

In The End of Service Trusts: Federal Budget Shake-up, Chan will explain how the rules are changing, what alternative arrangements may look like and whether a practice actually needs to change. The focus will be on giving practice managers the information they need to understand the pros, cons and timing of different options and have informed conversations with owners.

In Succession Starts Sooner Than You Think, Chan will join Craig Hong from Hillhouse Legal Partners to examine the financial, commercial and legal sides of succession.

Chan says practice managers are central to succession because the work they do to improve operations, manage people and keep the practice running efficiently can also increase its value.

In addition to Chan’s sessions, the 2026 AAPM National Conference offers four days of practical learning, with keynote presentations, workshops and expert-led sessions covering workforce leadership, Medicare compliance, AI, patient engagement and practice performance.

Hear Stuart Chan and explore the full program at the 2026 AAPM National Conference in Brisbane, 13–16 October. Click here to view the program and register.

Register for the 2026 AAPM National Conference using code AAPMAUSDOC26 to save 10% on the full conference registration rate. The offer is available 3-14 October 2026.

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Disclaimer: This content has been produced under AusDoc’s commercial partnership with the Australian Association of Practice Management and is distinct from AusDoc editorial which remains editorially independent.