Change to IHT on pensions proposals
HMRC has published a policy statement announcing an important change to its plans to include pension savings in an individual's estate for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes. What’s the full story?
In her first budget last Autumn Rachael Reeves dropped a number of bombshells. One of the biggest was her proposal to bring pension savings and death benefits within the scope of IHT from 6 April 2027. Currently, IHT only applies in very few circumstances. Where it does the pension companies may be responsible for calculating and deducting any IHT payable before passing the pension savings to the deceased’s beneficiaries. The Chancellor wanted to emulate this process when the new IHT rules were rolled out in 2027.
In a policy paper published on 21 July the government announced that the responsibility for calculating and paying IHT on pension saving will rest with the personal representatives of an estate, e.g. executors, and not pension companies. Although the consultation on the proposed new rules, which is open to everyone, doesn’t close until 15 September it had already become clear that the Chancellor’s original proposal was unrealistic.
Related Topics
-
How long does a capital loss last?
You’ve made a large capital gain from a recent sale. Capital losses can reduce the amount on which you have to pay tax but the losses you have date back decades and weren’t reported to HMRC. Is it too late to claim tax relief for them?
-
Salary transparency on recruitment
A pay transparency survey has revealed that 70% of employers intend to share salary ranges with external candidates during recruitment ahead of the EU Pay Transparency Directive coming into force. Will this become a legal requirement?
-
HMRC has recently expanded the scope of taxpayers who can arrange a payment plan online. What are the new parameters and conditions?
HMRC has recently expanded the scope of taxpayers who can arrange a payment plan online. What are the new parameters and conditions?