Tax and Estate Planning

As average net worth increases and modern families expand and interlink, Inheritance Tax and estate planning are a priority for many clients.  We can work closely with your accountants and financial advisers to advise you on your situation.  We can minimise the Inheritance Tax payable by your family, and protect the family wealth.

The use of estate planning and trusts can assist with effective use of Inheritance Tax relief and:

• Give you a degree of control over how your estate will be left
• Protect family wealth from being attacked by creditors or on insolvency
• Protect against a subsequent re-marriage or change of Will by your spouse away from your intended beneficiaries; and/or
• Secure rights for your spouse while, for example, protecting assets from being used for care fees.

Lifetime Gifts and Wills can be used to maximise Inheritance Tax relief including Business Property Relief (BPR) and Agricultural Property Relief (APR).

If you find that a loved one’s estate is not passing on as expected or Inheritance Tax could have been avoided, it may be possible to use a Deed of Variation to redistribute assets and save Inheritance Tax, or achieve a fairer division of assets.

Elizabeth Young Head of Private Client and Probate Tel: (01788) 559 501 Email: elizabethyoung@brethertons.co.uk	Sarah Butt Solicitor Tel: (01788) 559 505 Email: sarahbutt@brethertons.co.uk