Inheritance Tax Planning
New Runcorn Bridge, Cheshire
Helping make sure your loved ones get their inheritance, not a tax bill
We’d all like leave something for our family and loved ones once we’ve gone. And while it was once true that only the relatively wealthy needed to worry about inheritance tax (IHT) the number of people who are affected by the levy has tripled over the last five years. Soaring property prices have left thousands more individuals and couples on more modest incomes liable to the tax, which is charged at a slightly eye-watering 40% on estates with a total value of over £325,000.
"Soaring property prices have left thousands more individuals and couples on more modest incomes liable to the tax."
Even worse many people are still unaware that their heirs might now face a significant, and completely unexpected, tax bill at what is inevitably a stressful and difficult time. That’s a worry.
But with our help, and a little estate planning, you can both significantly reduce the amount of IHT your heirs may have to pay, and make sure there aren’t any nasty surprises waiting for them when the time comes.
Planning for your loved ones’ future. Peace of mind for you today
Inheritance tax is a complicated area. Thankfully there are plenty of things you can do to reduce the amount of tax your estate is liable to, but they depend on your individual financial circumstances, so it’s essential you get the right advice.
At Graham Carter & Co. we can help with the process of valuing your estate, and determining whether you will be liable to IHT, and if so, how much it is likely to be. Then we can look at ways to significantly reduce the amount of inheritance tax your beneficiaries might have to pay by using investment vehicles that are exempt from inheritance tax.
We can advise on how to best organise your pensions so that more may be exempt from IHT and how to take best advantage of the ‘residential nil-rate band’ (which increases the amount of tax relief you can get on the family home under certain circumstances).
And we can help with advice on tax-efficient gifting before you die as well as the benefits (and pitfalls) of using trusts to reduce inheritance tax due. Working closely with any solicitors or accountants we can make sure your wishes are all set to be carried out as smoothly as possible when the time comes.
Don’t leave your loved ones with an unexpected tax bill, or one that’s larger than it needs to be. With just a little planning you can make sure you leave them the legacy you want to. To find out more please do call or drop us an email to arrange your free initial meeting.