Will
Inheritance Tax Planning: Why Gifting to Grandchildren Could Save Your Family Thousands Inheritance tax (IHT) is often described as the UK’s “most hated tax”, and it’s easy to see why. At 40% on estates above the nil rate band, it can significantly reduce the wealth passed down to future generations. However, with careful planning, IHT
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Personal Pensions and Year-End Tax Planning 2025/26
March 10, 2026Personal Pensions and Year-End Tax Planning 2025/26: Maximising Relief Before 5 April Pension contributions remain one of the most powerful tax planning tools available. The combination of: Tax relief at your marginal rate Tax-free growth within the pension fund The ability to take a tax-free lump sum on retirement makes pensions one of the most
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Will Pensions Be Subject to Inheritance Tax from April 2027? For many years, pensions have been one of the most effective Inheritance Tax (IHT) planning tools in the UK. However, following announcements in the Autumn Budget 2025, the position is changing. From 6 April 2027, unused pension funds and certain death benefits will be brought
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Can You Put Your House Into a Trust to Avoid Inheritance Tax? One of the most common estate planning questions we hear is: “Can I put my house into a trust to avoid Inheritance Tax?” The short answer is:You can put your house into a trust — but it usually does not avoid Inheritance Tax
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How Excepted Assets Can Reduce IHT Relief
February 25, 2026Business Property Relief and Surplus Cash: How Excepted Assets Can Reduce IHT Relief Business Property Relief (BPR) is one of the most valuable inheritance tax (IHT) reliefs available to business owners. Where the conditions are met, BPR can reduce the IHT value of qualifying business assets by 100% or 50%, significantly limiting the tax exposure
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Scope of Inheritance Tax
January 22, 2026Scope of Inheritance Tax (IHT) Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a tax on wealth transfers, primarily charged on death but also relevant to certain lifetime gifts. Recent legislative changes have significantly altered who is within the scope of UK IHT, making it more important than ever to understand how the rules apply to your circumstances. From
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The act of gifting
November 5, 2025Estate Planning Considerations Estate planning has become increasingly important in the UK, particularly as frozen thresholds and rising asset values draw more estates into the inheritance tax (IHT) net. Without proactive planning, a significant portion of your wealth may pass to HMRC rather than your intended beneficiaries. This section explores the key estate planning considerations
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Big Changes to Inheritance Tax
September 2, 2025Big Changes to Inheritance Tax: Pensions No Longer a Free Pass After April 2026 For many years, pensions have been viewed not only as a way to fund retirement, but also—somewhat quietly—as a useful tool for passing wealth on to the next generation, thanks to generous inheritance tax (IHT) rules. That’s about to change. On
Read More Inheritance Tax vs Income Tax: What Is Pre-Owned Assets Tax and Why It Matters When planning your estate, mitigating Inheritance Tax (IHT) is often a key goal — and rightly so. With the nil-rate band frozen and property values continuing to rise, more estates than ever are falling into the IHT net. However, in the
Read More What is the Seven-Year Rule for Inheritance Tax
July 16, 2025What is the Seven-Year Rule for Inheritance Tax Most people with even a passing knowledge of inheritance tax (IHT) have heard of the “seven-year rule.” It’s often viewed as a key planning strategy for reducing or avoiding IHT on gifts made during one’s lifetime. But what exactly does this rule entail, when does it apply,
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