Generational Financial Planning

Free Guide: Estate Planning

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What is the importance of estate planning?

Estate planning is about more than just tax. It is about making sure the people left behind are financially supported, that your assets are protected and that the tax your estate pays is fair.

Wealth preservation and wealth transfer are becoming an increasingly important issue for many families today.

Your estate consists of everything you own. This includes savings, investments, pensions, property, life insurance (not written in an appropriate trust) and personal possessions. Debts and liabilities are subtracted from the total value of all assets

There are various ways to legally avoid paying inheritance tax and we have produced a free Estate Planning guide to support you with Inheritance Tax Planning:

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Preserving Wealth for Future Generations

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Start your estate and inheritance planning as early as possible and implement in stages

The UK Treasury has been receiving record-breaking Inheritance Tax (IHT) receipts. IHT receipts amounted to approximately £7.09 billion in 2022/23, compared with £6.05 billion in the previous financial year.

For individuals and families who have to pay it, IHT can be emotionally challenging, often requiring the sale of cherished family assets to settle the tax bill. That’s why starting estate planning early and implementing it in stages is essential. Also, having an open conversation about estate planning with family members is very beneficial but depends on family dynamics and wealth levels.

Minimise Tax Liabilities

However, families should take proactive measures to minimise the possibility of facing a substantial IHT bill. By planning ahead and seeking professional advice, individuals can ensure their assets are managed to minimise tax liabilities.

Creating a comprehensive wealth strategy involves considering various factors.

Lifetime Cashflow

We can help you assess your assets and income to ensure we support your desired lifestyle throughout your lifetime. By understanding your cash flow needs, we can assist in structuring investments and creating a sustainable financial plan.

Lifetime Gifting

Gifting can be a valuable tool in wealth planning, allowing you to reduce a potential IHT tax burden. We can guide you on the various gifting allowances and exemptions available, such as the annual gifting allowance, wedding gifts and gifts from normal expenditure out of income.

Trusts

Most trusts offer flexibility and control over how your assets are distributed. They can also help reduce taxes on inheritance. This excludes Absolute Trusts, where control over assets is discretionary. Working closely with us, you can explore different trust options and understand how they can be incorporated into your wealth planning strategy.

Pensions

Pensions are important in wealth planning, offering tax advantages and the potential for long-term financial security. We can help you navigate the complexities of pensions, including risk assessment, accessing pension funds and maximising tax benefits.

Protection Cover

Protecting your loved ones in the event of death or illness is crucial. We can advise on selecting the right protection products to provide liquidity for IHT and other associated costs.

Business Relief

Incorporating business relief into your wealth planning strategy can be advantageous if you own a business or have qualifying assets. We’ll help you understand the eligibility criteria and how to leverage this relief effectively.

Financial Control and Estate Planning

Creating a Will ensures that your assets are distributed according to your wishes. Additionally, appointing a Lasting Power of Attorney provides someone with financial control over your assets and peace of mind if you cannot manage your affairs.

Estate planning is not a one-size-fts-all approach. Although there is no requirement to address IHT, proactive planning can minimise the tax burden on families. Seeking professional advice and taking steps early can help reduce the risk of leaving loved ones with a larger tax bill than necessary.

Do you want the peace of mind of tax efficiently passing on your wealth to your loved ones?

When you’ve worked hard to build up your wealth, you want the peace of mind to pass this on to your loved ones. There’s much to consider, especially if you have a complex estate. Who should it go to? And when? Is it sensible to pass on wealth during your lifetime? To discuss how we can help, do not hesitate to contact us.

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Family Focused Financial Advice

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Often when making financial plans, it can feel like a very individual decision. What you’re actually doing is planning for yours and your family’s future. All families are different. And that’s why it’s really important to involve your financial adviser with the whole family story.

Planning For a Secure Future

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The journey to financial freedom begins with a roadmap.

To start you can outline your current financial situation and this will pave the way towards your desired destination – your financial goals. It’s time to ask yourself, what are these goals? Saving for retirement, building an investment portfolio or establishing an emergency fund? The more precise your goals, the more tailored your roadmap can be.

Charting your course: the power of goal-based planning

Once you’ve defined your objectives, the magic begins. Goal-based financial planning allows you to invest systematically and in a disciplined way. It keeps you focused on your destination, unswayed by the market’s short-term turbulence.

While everyone’s goals vary depending on their life stage, they can generally be bucketed into three categories: essential needs, lifestyle wants and legacy aspirations.

ACHIEVING FINANCIAL SUCCESS: A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

Navigating the terrain of financial success in these areas can be challenging. It demands a holistic understanding of everything from complex retirement plans and investment products to risk management strategies and tax laws.

Your financial roadmap should be your beacon of clarity. It should encapsulate every facet of your vision – your hopes, fears and goals, vividly depicting your financial future.

What are some of the questions to ask yourself?

  • Can I sleep soundly knowing my future is financially secure?
  • Do I have a clear direction for my journey
  • Will my current lifestyle be sustainable in retirement?
  • Am I financially equipped to live the life I want now and in the future
  • Have I planned adequately to ensure I don’t run out of money?
  • Do I fully understand my financial position?
  • What is my financial ‘magic number’ to secure my current and future lifestyle?

The cost of your future lifestyle: Understanding your number

Start by identifying your financial goals and the time frame to achieve them. Determine their current cost, factor in a reasonable inflation rate, and voila – you’ll know what they’ll likely cost when you aim to achieve them. This exercise helps you uncover ‘your number’ – the money you need to secure your future lifestyle without fear of running out of funds.

Your financial roadmap is your guide to making informed financial decisions, striking a balance between current responsibilities and future aspirations. It’s designed to help you sustainably achieve your lifestyle goals and objectives over time.

We have produced a comprehensive guide to help you build a more secure financial future. To download your free guide, fill in the form below:

Download your Guide to Effective Wealth Creation Strategies

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Talking about inheritance

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Time to talk: Have you talked about your Will?

  • 57% of parents haven’t spoken to their adult children about their Will
  • 24% of adults haven’t discussed making a Will with their partner or spouse
  • 49% of adults admit talking long-term finances with family is difficult
  • of parents feel responsible for their children’s financial wellbeing if they were to pass

If you would like to speak to one of our Estate Planning Specialists on making a Will, then please get in touch.

Writing a Will

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Statistics show that 22% of adults aged 75 years and above have no will, along with 39% aged between 65 and 74.

Having a Will in place is essential to ensure your estate is passed down to who you want it to. If you would like more information and guidance on making a Will, please get in touch.

Wills and Inheritance Tax

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Wealth transfer has become an important issue for many families today. Individuals with assets of any size should prepare for their eventual transfer whilst making provision for any tax or legal consequences.

But more than half of parents (57%) haven’t spoken to their adult children about their Will, according to new research[1]. Nearly a quarter (24%) of adults haven’t discussed making a Will with their partner or spouse, while almost a third (31%) were unsure if they understood the long-term benefits of putting their assets into a trust or finalising a Will.

Long-term finances

The survey also revealed one in two (49%) adults admit that talking about long-term finances, especially in the event of death, with family members is difficult. When it comes to discussing Wills and trusts with adult children or dependents, over two-thirds (69%) of parents say they feel responsible for the financial wellbeing of their children if they were to pass away.

Despite this, 57% admitted they haven’t talked to their children about long-term finances, while nearly one in ten (9%) parents said they weren’t sure how to approach the topic. The survey finds 47% of people have their children down as a beneficiary of their Will – higher than other forms of support, such as a deposit for a house or flat (19%), a savings pot with regular contributions (16%), or covering the cost of transport, such as a car (15%).

Minimal Inheritance Tax

Parents and guardians should make formal arrangements so that, upon their death, the appropriate plans are in place to ensure the people they wish to benefit from their estate will do so, with the estate settled as quickly as possible and with minimal Inheritance Tax.

If there is no Will, the deceased’s estate will be distributed under the terms of law, which may not align with their loved one’s wishes. Receiving the right professional advice and setting up a financial plan can ensure you are best able to look after your family when the time comes.

Giving peace of mind

With so many different options, it can be overwhelming. The research found that two-thirds of adults (69%) understand the long-term benefits of finalising trusts and Wills, but that still leaves many who don’t.

It’s important to have plans in place to protect your assets and loved ones, today and in the future. It might be difficult to think about, but it ensures your wishes will be met, giving you peace of mind. The outcome of not having a Will or trust in place can be costly – so knowing the difference between Wills and trusts, and putting them in place appropriately, can provide vital benefits.

Wealth and assets

When looking to leave assets to family members, Inheritance Tax is a key consideration. Effective estate planning can help in ensuring your wealth and assets go to your loved ones. By setting up a trust you can effectively put the money outside of your estate, which could be efficient for Inheritance Tax purposes.

Assets held within a trust do not usually form part of your estate upon death, provided that you live for seven years after placing the assets into trust. Therefore, it’s likely they won’t be liable to Inheritance Tax.

Understanding the options

Effective estate preservation planning could save a family a potential Inheritance Tax bill amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds. Inheritance Tax planning has become more important than ever, following the government’s decision to freeze the £325,000 lifetime exemption until April 2028, with inflation eroding its value every year and subjecting more families to Inheritance Tax.

Over half of Britons (57%) believe it’s important to seek financial advice when it comes to long-term financial planning, which is absolutely right. Seeking advice from a professional ensures you fully understand the options available, and recommendations are made in line with your requirements, giving you peace of mind.

Inheritance tax planning services

Are you looking to pass on more of your wealth in the most tax-efficient way? We all have different objectives in life and need different strategies to help achieve them. We can help you build a strategy that provides financial support to your family and helps you pass on more of your wealth in the most tax-efficient way – please get in touch with us for more information on our estate planning and inheritance tax planning services.

Source data: [1] The research was conducted by Opinium Research and surveyed 2,000 UK adults between September 5-13, 2022.

Important Information: Inheritance Tax planning is a highly complex area of financial planning. Information provided and any opinions expressed are for general guidance only and not personal to your circumstances, nor are intended to provide specific advice. Professional financial advice should be obtained before taking any action. Inheritance Tax planning is a highly complex area of financial planning. The financial conduct authority does not regulate Inheritance Tax planning.

Passing down wealth

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4 considerations when passing down wealth to your family

Age

If you are younger, there may be more time to accumulate assets. If older, you could transfer wealth sooner to maximise the amount passed to beneficiaries.

Value of estate

If your estate is large, you may consider transferring wealth to minimise Inheritance Tax (IHT) liabilities. If it is small, you may not need to worry about IHT and can afford to wait.

Age of beneficiaries

If your beneficiaries are young, they could use the money to help further their education or buy a property. If older, they may need the money to support themselves in retirement.

Types of assets

If the assets are liquid (e.g. cash), they can be transferred immediately. If the assets are illiquid (e.g. property), it may take longer to transfer them.

Start your estate planning journey

Estate planning, inheritance tax planning and wealth transfer within families requires expert advice. Please get in touch today so we can help you and your family every step of the way.

Give while you live

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What will your financial legacy look like?

April 2023 brought a host of changes to the UK’s tax regime, with some thresholds for taxes such as additional rate Income Tax being lowered while others, such as Corporation Tax, are increased.

However, the Inheritance Tax (IHT) nil-rate band has remained stagnant at £325,000 since 2009, despite the meteoric rise in property prices over the same period. This has resulted in an all-time high of £6.1bn being collected in Inheritance Tax in 2021/22.

Freezing of the nil-rate band

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced in the Autumn Statement on 17 November 2022 that the government had frozen the IHT thresholds for two more years. As the threshold was already frozen until April 2026, it means that the threshold is now frozen until April 2028.

If you own a home worth over £1 million, there is a risk that your loved ones may face a costly IHT bill upon inheritance, due to the freezing of the nil-rate band. While there is an additional residence nil-rate band (RNRB) of £175,000 that can apply when passing on the property you lived in, married couples or those in registered civil partnerships can transfer the allowance, enabling most couples to pass on up to £1 million tax-free, assuming they pass on their home to their direct descendants.

Wealth to future generations

However, if your total estate exceeds £2 million, the RNRB will be tapered. For every £2 by which your individual estate exceeds £2 million, the RNRB will be decreased by £1. Professional financial advice can help homeowners plan to mitigate the impact of IHT.

Downsizing is a popular method to manage IHT, but this presents the challenge of passing on the sale balance to your loved ones. Planning for the transfer of wealth to future generations can be an uncomfortable topic for many families. However, proper estate planning can ensure a smooth and stress-free transition of family wealth to loved ones.

Feeling financially squeezed

It’s understandable that many people are feeling financially squeezed in the current climate, and as a result, we are likely to see a rise in ‘giving while living’. This refers to the practice of lifetime gifting to loved ones, particularly adult children who may be struggling to make ends meet during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

However, it’s important to note that the extended freeze on thresholds will mean that many people will now need to seek professional financial advice more than ever to protect their wealth and ensure that it is passed on according to their wishes, without being caught out by unforeseen taxes in the future.

Your family’s financial future?

We understand the importance of addressing these issues in a calm and objective manner. We can assist you in creating a comprehensive succession plan that maximises the amount of wealth passed down to future generations while minimising tax implications. Let us help you secure your family’s financial future with careful estate planning. To find out more, please speak to us.

Source data: [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk/hmrc-taxreceipts-and-national-insurance-contributions-for-the-uk-new-annual-bulletin#inheritance-tax

Important information: This article does not constitute tax or legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future. For guidance, seek professional advice. Inheritance tax and estate planning are not regulated by the financial conduct authority.

Financial Protection

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Financial Protection

No ‘one-size-fits-all’ protection solution

Everyone should review their financial protection and estate plans. A solid plan will help you feel confident your family’s finances are secure.

The uncertainty of the past couple of years has shown how important it is to have a robust plan in place for securing your family’s finances. While no one knows what is around the corner, reviewing your protection, updating your Will and creating an estate plan will help you rest assured that the financial side of things is taken care of.

These are some of the main considerations:

Protect against illness and death

It is essential to make sure that you have adequate protection in place, depending on your particular circumstance. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ protection solution so receiving professional advice is important when considering the right products for you and your family’s needs. This will ensure that your finances remain secure if illness or death happens unexpectedly, giving peace of mind to you and your loved ones at what could otherwise be a difficult time.

A life insurance policy is one of the most important types of protection to have in place. It pays out a lump sum if you die during the duration of the policy, helping your family to pay o% their debts, maintain their lifestyle or cover any other expenses they may have.

Critical illness cover can also provide valuable financial protection in case you are diagnosed with a specified serious illness while your policy is active. This type of cover will pay out a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with an eligible condition, allowing you to concentrate on getting better without having to worry about bills piling up.

Income protection is also worth considering when developing your financial plan. This type of cover provides regular payments should you become ill or injured and are unable to work. This can help you cover your regular outgoings, such as mortgage payments or rent, while you recover.

Write or review your Will

Writing or reviewing your Will is essential for making sure that your wishes are respected and carried out after you pass away. It ensures that your money and other assets go to the people and causes you care about, such as relatives, family friends, charitable organisations, etc. Additionally, it provides you with the opportunity to appoint guardians for any children in your life, so they can be looked after by people you
know and trust.

If you don’t have a Will in place when death occurs, then the rules of intestacy will be applied to distribute your assets and possessions according to legal guidelines. These might not always align with what you would have wanted. Therefore, it is important to obtain professional advice on how best to proceed with making a professional Will. Doing so can help to ensure that your wishes are appropriately recorded and respected, even after you’ve gone. With the right professional advice and guidance, making a Will or reviewing your Will provides peace of mind that comes with having your affairs in order.

Create an estate plan

Creating an estate plan is a step that can make a significant impact on the financial futures of your children and grandchildren. Despite common misconceptions, estate planning isn’t only for the wealthy. In fact, due to rising house prices and the freezing of the Inheritance Tax (IHT) nil-rate band until April 2028, IHT could now be more impactful than before.

Fortunately, there are various ways in which you can minimise this unexpected burden, ranging from making lifetime gifts to utilising pensions and trusts. To get the most out of these options, it’s best to seek professional financial advice. We can help guide you as you build a comprehensive estate plan tailored specifically to your needs, to ensure that your family is well-protected and their financial futures are secured.

Being prepared for whatever the future may bring

In uncertain times, receiving professional advice can help you feel confident you’re doing everything you can to secure your family’s
finances. We will look at your personal, family and financial circumstances to recommend the right solutions for your individual needs. You can focus on enjoying life today, safe in the knowledge that you’re prepared for whatever the future may bring. To find out more about our financial planning services or inheritance tax planning services, please contact us.