According to new research conducted by YouGov and Old Mutual Wealth, nearly half (48%) of those approaching retirement (aged 55-64) do not know how long their pension income will last. With pension providers reporting demand for flexible withdrawals, there is a significant danger that pension funds could run dry if people do not plan carefully or take professional financial advice.
UK adults have an average eight-year blind spot when it comes to financial planning – and can only see themselves in the future as far ahead as 2023, new research from long-term savings and investment specialist Standard Life reveals.
Most people now have more options when it comes to their retirement choices. But generally they’ll still want their pension income to last their lifetime – so careful planning is a must.
1. The main ways to avoid Inheritance Tax are to spend your money while you are alive or give it away.
After taking the appropriate steps to put in place an Inheritance Tax planning strategy, if there is still the potential likelihood of a liability on your estate, or if you have made gifts which have created a potential liability for the recipients if you die within seven years, we can help you review how you could fund this liability in the most efficient way.
Different trust solutions to managing your wealth
We can advise you on a range of different trust solutions, each designed with a particular purpose in mind. Some types of trust are treated differently for Inheritance Tax purposes.
One of the most effective ways you can manage your estate planning is through setting up a trust. The structures into which you can transfer your assets can have lasting consequences for you and your family, so it is important that you obtain professional advice, as the right structures can protect assets and give your family lasting benefits.
If there’s no valid Will
When you die, your estate has to be distributed one way or another. If you have a Will, your executors have to gain a Grant of Probate in England and Wales or Northern Ireland (a Grant of Confirmation in Scotland). If there’s no valid Will, or the named executors in the Will are unwilling or unable to carry out their duties, a Grant of Letters of Administration is needed. This is known as ‘dying intestate’.
Planning your finances in advance should help you ensure that when you die, everything you own goes where you want it to. Making a Will is the first step in ensuring that your estate is shared out exactly as you want it to be.
When someone living abroad dies, the rules for paying Inheritance Tax usually depend on: