Estate planning, explained
Practical guides on inheritance tax, gifting, trusts, wills, and probate to help you plan with confidence.
Inheritance Tax Thresholds for 2026/27 Explained
The headline inheritance tax thresholds for 2026/27 are frozen, but the way the residence nil-rate band tapers and transfers between spouses means the real allowance available to an estate varies widely.
How Inheritance Tax Is Calculated, Step by Step
Inheritance tax is calculated in a defined sequence: value the estate, deduct debts and reliefs, add back recent gifts, apply the available thresholds, then apply the rate. Each step changes the final bill.
The Seven-Year Rule and Taper Relief Explained
The seven-year rule lets most lifetime gifts fall out of an estate entirely after seven years. Taper relief is widely misunderstood: it reduces the tax on a gift, not the value of the gift, and only in specific circumstances.
Gifts Out of Surplus Income: The Underused Exemption
Gifts made out of surplus income are immediately exempt from inheritance tax, with no seven-year survival requirement. The exemption is powerful but conditional, and the evidence you keep is what makes it work.
The Main Types of Trust for Estate Planning
Trusts let you control how and when assets pass to beneficiaries. The main types behave very differently for tax and flexibility, and most lifetime trusts now fall under the relevant property regime.
The Trust Registration Service: What Trustees Must Do
Trustees of most UK trusts must register with HMRC's Trust Registration Service and keep the record current. This article sets out who must register, what information is needed, and the deadlines.
Business Relief After April 2026: What Is Changing
From 6 April 2026 the 100 per cent rate of business relief and agricultural relief is capped at a combined £1m per person, with relief above that capped at 50 per cent. This is a significant change for business and farm owners.
Pensions and Inheritance Tax: The April 2027 Change
From April 2027 most unused pension funds are expected to fall within the scope of inheritance tax. For people who treated their pension as a tax-efficient way to pass on wealth, this is a significant shift.
What Executors Need to Do: A Practical Checklist
Being an executor is a legal responsibility with real deadlines. This practical checklist sets out the main stages, from registering the death to distributing the estate, and where the timing traps are.