IHT, Trusts & Estate Planning

Inheritance Tax is the one tax that individuals can plan for, but one that they will not be liable for.

Effective IHT planning can help to protect your wealth; minimise the tax liability due on your estate; and will allow you and your family to enjoy the proceeds of your lifetime's achievements whilst taking account of your current and anticipated future needs. We will create an IHT plan to provide reassurance to you and to those who are important to you.

Our key IHT advisors have many years experience and a range of techniques to assist with IHT planning. We would also liaise with your other professional advisors to ensure that your IHT strategy is well communicated.

Trusts are often created as a means of wealth preservation. They provide flexibility in allowing assets to be passed down through the generations in a secure and tax efficient manner, and help protect family wealth from undesirable relationships.

We are experienced in dealing with trusts both in the UK and overseas - including will trusts, life interest, discretionary and protective trusts and those for minor children or disabled beneficiaries. We also advise on those set up for charitable purpose.

We will advise on the initial creation of a trust, helping you to choose the most suitable structure to meet your requirements. Once the trust has been formed we deal with the day to day administration, and provide ongoing advice for the running of the trust.

We can also prepare annual accounts, tax returns and computations, and act as trustee, if required.

Estates

Our Estate planning specialists can assist you in mitigating Inheritance Tax liabilities by utilising lifetime gifts, both outright or via a trust, and by advising you on how best to write or update your will.

Where an Inheritance Tax liability is unavoidable, we can help to plan for the funding of the tax due so that the administration of your estate is completed promptly and cost-effectively.

At a particularly difficult time, it can be reassuring to have objective and professional guidance. For this reason we recommend that clients have a family member and a trusted advisor as executors to help ensure that their wishes are followed as they intended.

Should you wish, we can act as executors to your estate and also, of course, act as trustee with regard to any will trust arising.

For advice on IHT, trusts, estates or executorship please contact Delia Orme or Jane Thackstone