Are you banking on a big inheritance? Many are hoping a generous bequest will support them in old age Nearly one in five adults anticipate receiving a significant sum Young and middle aged are more likely than over-55s to expect a big bequest Plan for not getting an inheritance in case of disappointment, warns Hargreaves … Read more
My husband and I are in our early 60s and have recently retired. We have paid off the mortgage on our home, which we think is worth around £600,000. Our other assets (mainly investments) are worth around £500,000, including a £100,000 investment, which we made recently, having been told it would be free of inheritance … Read more
I have just read Steve Webb’s column about a lady believing she was divorced and she in fact wasn’t. I find myself in the same position. A decri nisi was issued but not a decri absolute. I only discovered this when applying for my state pension and they required a copy of the absolute. I … Read more
Hundreds of bereaved families could be forced to unravel estates wound up years ago after Lloyds Banking Group discovered a vast trove of old wills it could not match to customers. Lloyds confirmed the massive storage blunder, revealed by the Financial Times, which has left it scrambling to reunite about 9,000 families with loved ones’ … Read more
The confusing array of inheritance tax rules on giveaways to loved ones should be swept away and replaced with a single ‘personal gift allowance’, say Government officials. The ‘seven-year’ rule for large gifts, which means that if you survive the money gradually becomes free of inheritance tax, should be axed in favour of a set … Read more
Could you claim an inheritance tax refund on shares that dived in value? You may claw back substantial sums – but you’ll also lock in losses Some could have ‘overpaid’ inheritance tax when shares were at peak value Inheritance tax is calculated on the value of assets on the date of death It is 40% … Read more