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…
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…
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…
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…
Probate fees reform, round three
The Government’s third attempt at revamping the cost of obtaining grant of probate in England and Wales is much more modest in scope than the previous two. The introduction of the new fee structure is…
Unhappy families – challenging inheritance issues
The outcome of a recent High Court case is a warning for anyone challenging a will. As inheritances become more valuable, the number of disputes about wills have increased. Court cases rose by almost 50% to 188 in 2019 compared to…
Remote witnessing of Wills in the era of COVID-19
At a point during the early days of the pandemic, this author, being of a certain age, weight, and ethnic group, took the decision to get his affairs in order – the Coronavirus intensely on…