Inheritance Tax
Thoughtful estate planning for families, owners and trustees.
Tax
Estate planning that protects what you have built
Thoughtful estate planning for families, owners and trustees.
Inheritance tax is avoidable or significantly reducible in many situations with the right planning. We review your estate, explain available exemptions and reliefs, and work with your wider advisers to structure assets in a way that reflects your wishes while reducing the exposure your estate would otherwise face.
- Estate valuation and current inheritance tax exposure reviewed clearly.
- Business Property Relief and Agricultural Property Relief analysis.
- Gifting strategy, trust use, and coordination with solicitors where needed.
Our approach
How we deliver inheritance tax
Estate review and exposure calculation
We map the key assets property, business interests, investments, gifts and life policies calculate the current IHT exposure and identify which reliefs, exemptions and planning approaches are most relevant to your situation.
Planning strategy and options
We explain the available strategies gifting programmes, Business Property Relief, trust arrangements, pension funding and charitable giving and help you choose an approach that reflects your wishes as well as the tax efficiency.
Implementation and adviser coordination
We coordinate with your solicitors and financial advisers to implement the agreed plan, document the decisions made, review the position annually and update the plan as circumstances change.
Who this is for
Businesses and individuals that need
01
Business owners with estate exposure
Where the business interest is a significant part of the estate and Business Property Relief qualification needs to be reviewed and maintained alongside personal planning.
02
Families with property wealth
Where residential property and investment property form the bulk of the estate and Nil Rate Band, Residence Nil Rate Band and gifting strategies are the primary planning tools.
03
Landowners and agricultural families
Where Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief interact, and where multi generational succession planning is part of a longer term estate strategy.
Client feedback
“We thought the IHT liability was fixed. Three months of planning later, the exposure was reduced by over £300,000 through a combination of gifting and business restructuring.”
Client review Family business owner, Sussex
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the inheritance tax threshold?
The standard nil rate band is £325,000 per person, £650,000 for a couple. An additional Residence Nil Rate Band of up to £175,000 per person applies where a main home passes to direct descendants. For estates over £2 million, the RNRB tapers away. The thresholds are frozen until April 2030.
What is Business Property Relief?
Business Property Relief (BPR) provides 100% IHT relief on qualifying business assets including shares in unquoted trading companies and interests in a trading business partnership. The qualifying conditions are specific and need to be reviewed carefully, particularly where the business holds significant investment assets.
How do gifts affect inheritance tax?
Gifts made more than seven years before death are fully exempt. Gifts within seven years are potentially exempt and become chargeable on a sliding scale. Gifts of up to £3,000 per year are exempt as annual allowances. We structure gifting programmes around these rules to progressively reduce the estate.
When is the right time to start IHT planning?
The earlier the better. Many of the most effective strategies gifting programmes, trust structures and business restructuring take time to become fully effective. The seven year gift exemption means planning started today has its full benefit in seven years. Starting in your 70s limits the options significantly.
Ready to take the next step?
Book an introductory meeting to discuss your tax needs with a specialist.