Protect Your Legacy from Inheritance Tax
Inheritance tax receipts to HMRC are at record levels and with rising property values, more families are affected than ever before. The good news is that with the right advice there are several legitimate strategies that can meaningfully reduce what the taxman takes. The key is starting the conversation early.
Making the most of your allowances
Everyone has a personal nil-rate band and, if you own a home, a residence nil-rate band on top. Combined, married couples and civil partners can pass on a significant amount free of IHT. We help you understand exactly where you stand.
Lifetime gifts and the seven-year rule
Gifts made more than seven years before death are generally free of IHT. Strategic gifting done at the right time and in the right amounts can be one of the most effective planning tools available.
Trusts
Assets held in trust sit outside your estate for IHT purposes. Trusts can be complex but in the right circumstances they offer significant protection for the people and causes you care most about.
Life insurance written in trust
A whole of life policy written in trust won’t reduce your IHT bill but it can ensure the money to pay it is already in place so your beneficiaries inherit your estate intact rather than having to sell assets to cover a tax bill.
Pension planning
Pensions are currently outside your estate for IHT purposes. From April 2027 this changes, with most unused pension funds brought within scope of inheritance tax. How you structure your pension withdrawals and beneficiary nominations between now and then could make a significant difference to what your family ultimately receives.
Charitable giving
Leaving a portion of your estate to charity can reduce the IHT rate applied to the remainder. For some estates this can mean a meaningful saving while supporting causes you care about.
Book a free IHT consultation
Every estate is different. Our advisers will review your full financial picture and identify which combination of strategies makes sense for your situation.
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Our free guide 5 Top Tips for Inheritance Tax Planning gives you a clear, jargon-free introduction to the main strategies available. Download it now and share it with your family. There’s no form to fill in and nothing to sign up for. We believe good financial information should be freely available
The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate taxation and trust advice or will writing.