We pay a lot of inheritance tax on death in this country - usually 40% on anything over the first £1m owned by a married couple - and so you'd be forgiven for thinking it might be a good idea to emigrate in order to avoid tax. The weather would probably be better, anyway. Whether... Continue Reading →

Should you appoint a professional executor in your Will? I know from my time working at several law firms before I set up my own business that many solicitors encourage their clients to appoint one of the partners of the firm, or the firm's trustee company, as a professional executor in their Will. I also... Continue Reading →

Clients sometime ask me, "Should I tell someone that they are my executor?" I think it is an excellent idea to let your executors know that they have been appointed in your will, so that they know what to expect. It gives them the opportunity to raise any objections if they would prefer not to... Continue Reading →

Do you want to know whether probate has been granted in someone's estate? Sometimes, I find that a client who has an interest in an estate is keen to know how matters are progressing, but perhaps in order to avoid ruffling feathers unnecessarily within the family, would prefer to make a few discreet enquiries about... Continue Reading →

If you are originally from India and you eventually plan to return to live there, you may be able to avoid paying UK inheritance tax on your Indian assets. Broadly speaking, if you were born abroad and have moved to live in the UK, for the first 15 years that you are UK resident, you... Continue Reading →

"Not necessarily", is the answer to the question, 'Will my wife inherit my estate?' I have found that there's a widely-held misconception that if one half of a married couple dies, the survivor will automatically inherit everything, whether or not the person leaves a will. It is true to say that if a married couple... Continue Reading →

If you are thinking of making some tax-efficient gifts to your family, you could consider the relatively little-known but extremely tax-efficient possibility of making pension contributions on their behalf. This can result in a huge tax saving of 90% of the value of the gift overall, partly in inheritance tax savings and partly in income... Continue Reading →

why charitable giving is tax-efficient

If you're local to Beaconsfield and need a lockdown treat to cheer up your January, I have just the thing. <Disclaimer - there will be no legal advice whatsoever in this post. I knew you'd be disappointed.> Last week, I bumped into a client and friend who was radiating well-fed contentment. He mentioned that he'd... Continue Reading →