You want to reduce the potential inheritance tax (IHT) on your estate. An acquaintance has suggested transferring ownership of your home to your children. HMRC rules say that this does not work if you still live in it. Is there a way to legitimately avoid this the rule?  Find out more from Head of Tax...

Mrs Smith’s mother has recently died. During her final years she lived in a care home and sold her property to pay the fees. Mrs Smith believes she has lost the right to claim the residence nil rate band as a result. What is advised? Head of Tax, Christiaan Hansen advises. Residence nil rate band...

A couple have received conflicting advice about reducing their potential inheritance tax (IHT) liability by making gifts. One view is that they need to survive at least three years from when a gift is made to save IHT. The other advice says they must survive seven. Which view is correct?  Kenny Logan from our Edinburgh...

Your father recently died having spent the last two years in care. Last year you sold his home to help pay the nursing home fees. When preparing the inheritance tax forms, are you entitled to claim the residence nil rate band?  Tax Partner Brona MacDougall discusses. The inheritance tax (IHT) residence nil rate band (RNRB)...

Life insurance policies generally pay out a premium in the event of the policyholder’s death. However, recently published figures from HMRC suggest that many of them are falling into an easily-avoided tax trap. The idea behind a life insurance policy is simple – the individual agrees to pay premiums for a fixed period of time....

Inheritance tax (IHT) planning often involves giving away your wealth, but as a business owner business property relief (BPR) can significantly reduce IHT. What can you do to help your estate achieve the maximum relief? Inheritance tax expert Brona MacDougall advises. IHT and business property Where you own a business, or a share of one,...

The residence nil rate band (RNRB) can increase the amount of your estate that will escape inheritance tax. But when can the RNRB apply and what steps can you take to ensure that your beneficiaries benefit from the tax savings?  Lauren Herbert discusses. Naturally, you want your beneficiaries to receive as much of your estate...

You may think that having a Trust for your adult kids is a very sensible thing to do, indeed what could possibly go wrong? But the truth is that there are a number of potential tax pitfalls when parents transfer investment property into a discretionary trust for their adult children. Tax Expert Brona MacDougall takes...

You own and operate a farm, you are many years away from retirement but you would like to know about possible relief from inheritance tax, particularly in relation to your farmhouse. IHT expert Brona MacDougall discusses the key issues. Generally speaking, agricultural property relief (APR) works in a similar way to business property relief (BPR),...

Your son is struggling with his finances and has come to you for some help. You have been paying some of his household bills until he gets back on his feet. But what are the tax consequences that you and your son should consider? Inheritance tax expert Brona MacDougall provides the answers. You may have...