Protecting Your Wealth from Inheritance Tax
We can discuss a range of solutions in relation to protecting your estate against the potentially negative effects of Inheritance Tax. Discussing this area with you, we can put a strategy in place to try to mitigate the potential tax liability or plan to ensure your family have the ability to pay any tax endured. With the correct use of Financial Products and different Trusts we can provide packages to help pass your wealth to your loved ones at the right and most tax efficient time.
Inheritance Tax is not just for the rich any longer, soaring house prices in recent years means that many more of us will be affected by IHT as the current threshold for 2020/2021 is £325,000. An entire estate, including your property, savings and cars may be subject to Inheritance Tax. As this could also include all of your investments and life insurance policies, it is crucial that your life policies are held in an appropriate trust vehicle so they don’t further increase the value of your estate. We assist our clients in developing an effective strategy to mitigate the tax, which often includes ensuring that all investments are invested in a tax efficient manner and that you maximise any ‘gift’ opportunities where appropriate.
In addition to the nil rate band, you may be able to claim the residence nil rate band. This measure introduces an additional nil-rate band when a residence is passed on death to a direct descendant.
This will be:
£175,000 in 2020 to 2021
It will then increase in line with Consumer Prices Index (CPI) from 2021 to 2022 onwards. Any unused nil-rate band will be able to be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner.
The additional nil-rate band will also be available when a person downsizes or ceases to own a home on or after 8 July 2015 and assets of an equivalent value, up to the value of the additional nil-rate band, are passed on death to direct descendants.
There will be a tapered withdrawal of the additional nil-rate band for estates with a net value of more than £2 million. This will be at a withdrawal rate of £1 for every £2 over this threshold.
Although Inheritance Tax may not affect you personally, it could be an extra burden for your loved ones when they are grieving. And do you really want to see up to 40% of the wealth you have worked hard to create in your life going to the government as Inheritance Tax after your death? The executors (or legal personal representatives) of your estate are responsible for arranging payment of the Inheritance Tax. If you’ve chosen members of your family for this task this could mean even greater stress for them at a difficult time.
We may recommend investments or trusts, talk to you about lifetime transfers or life assurance plans, clearly explain the benefits and consequences of each different route and whatever the solution, you can be sure our proposals will meet your particular requirements as appropriately and effectively as possible.
Some areas of Inheritance Tax (IHT) planning are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Some IHT planning solutions may put your capital at risk so you may get back less than you originally invested. IHT thresholds depend on your individual circumstances and may change in the future.
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