If an English or Welsh domiciled person dies without leaving a will, the amount that a surviving spouse or civil partner can inherit as a statutory legacy under the intestacy rules has – from 26…
Take Two on Wealth tax…………
Hard on the heels of May's Sunday Times Rich List, will new proposals for a wealth tax gain any traction? In 2020, a group of economic research bodies set up the Wealth Tax Commission to…
Increase in number of estates paying IHT
The combination of a frozen inheritance tax (IHT) nil rate band and considerably higher property values has pushed more estates into the IHT net. The average IHT bill is now nearly £62,000, with much larger…
Cohabitation law reforms rejected
The government has rejected proposals to modernise cohabitation laws in England and Wales, leaving it up to individuals to arrange their financial affairs for partners and dependents. In August, the House of Commons Women and…
The effects of fiscal drag on your tax position
Fiscal drag is the stealthy way in which governments pull more and more taxpayers into higher tax brackets without the backlash that comes with increased tax rates. This is something taxpayers can probably live with…
Confused on claiming residence band relief?
Working through inheritance tax (IHT) requirements come at a difficult time. The provisions of the residence nil rate band (RNRB), which can be passed on between deceased spouses and civil partners, has caused some confusion.…
Setting new taxpayer records
New data from HMRC reveals there are now over six million people paying higher or additional rate tax in the UK. In recent years, the end of June has been the time for HMRC to…
Focus on tax year-end planning
With Christmas and New Year behind us, tax year-end planning should now be on your radar. The 2021/22 tax year will end on Tuesday 5 April. This year there is no Spring Budget and Easter…
Treasury sets aside CGT and IHT change agendas
Tax and Administration Maintenance (TAM) Day is a new phenomenon brought in by the Treasury to try and move away from the traditional all-in-one Budget. Following the first ‘Tax Day’ in March, the end of…
IHT receipts reach £6 billion record
The amount of inheritance tax (IHT) collected by HMRC over the past year reached a record £6 billion, some £1 billion more than the previous 12 months. This increase comes as no surprise given booming…