Pass on more of what you have built, to the people you choose, with less of it lost to inheritance tax.
Speak to an adviser
Six steps, from valuing your estate to a plan your family can rely on. The first is a free half hour and commits you to nothing.
You tell us what you own, who you want to provide for and what worries you. We tell you whether we can help, how we would go about it, and what it would cost.
Property, pensions, investments, business interests and life policies brought together, with an estimate of the inheritance tax your family would face today and in twenty years' time.
A cashflow forecast showing how much you can pass on during your lifetime without running short later, including the cost of care. Giving with confidence starts here.
Gifting allowances, gifts from surplus income, trusts, spouse exemptions, Business Relief investments and pension planning, combined so every allowance is used and the tax bill falls.
We work alongside your solicitor so your will, trusts, Lasting Powers of Attorney and pension nominations all match the plan, with insurance in place to cover any tax that remains.
A review at least once a year, and whenever your family or the rules change, such as pensions coming into inheritance tax in 2027. In between, everything is visible in Helix.
What people ask when they start thinking about what they will leave behind.
Your estate valued and the bill estimated, now and as your assets grow, so you know the size of the problem before deciding what to do about it.
Annual allowances, gifts from surplus income and larger gifts timed around the seven-year rule, without giving away money you may need later.
Discretionary, bare and life interest trusts explained plainly, and a recommendation on whether one suits your family, your goals and the tax involved.
From April 2027 most unused pensions count towards your estate. We review your nominations and change the order you draw on your savings to suit.
A whole of life policy written in trust can meet the bill when it falls due, and gift inter vivos cover protects large gifts during the seven years.
The potential cost of care modelled in your plan, so it can be met without selling the house in a hurry or spending what you meant to leave behind.
How much can pass free of inheritance tax, and the rule that decides when a gift stops counting.
Every individual has a £325,000 inheritance tax nil-rate band. It is frozen until April 2031, and any unused allowance can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner.
An extra allowance when a qualifying home passes to direct descendants, such as children or grandchildren. It tapers away on estates worth more than £2 million, meaning a qualifying couple can potentially pass on up to £1 million free of inheritance tax.
Gifts to individuals can fall outside your estate for inheritance tax if you survive seven years after making them. If you die within three to seven years, taper relief can reduce the rate of inheritance tax due on certain gifts.
Based on the rules for the 2026/27 tax year. Allowances have conditions and depend on your circumstances, and tax rules may change.
Most unused pensions and death benefits will be brought into your estate and, depending on its size and your allowances, may be taxed at 40%. If you die aged 75 or over, beneficiaries may also pay income tax on what they receive. The usual spouse exemption can still apply, subject to the pension's rules.
Leaving pensions until last may no longer suit, so plans made before the change may need another look.
Inheritance tax is charged at 40% on the part of an estate above the available nil-rate bands. Every individual has a £325,000 nil-rate band, and a further £175,000 residence nil-rate band may apply when a qualifying home passes to direct descendants, such as children or grandchildren.
Any unused nil-rate band can be transferred to a surviving spouse or civil partner, and the rate falls to 36% if at least 10% of the net estate is left to charity.
The main routes are gifting during your lifetime, regular gifts from surplus income, trusts, leaving money to a spouse or charity, and investments that qualify for Business Relief. Insurance written in trust can cover whatever tax remains.
The right mix depends on how much you can afford to give away without affecting your own future, which is why we start with a cashflow forecast.
You can give away £3,000 a year, and carry forward any unused amount for one year. Small gifts of up to £250 per person, wedding gifts of up to £5,000 to a child, and gifts to a spouse, civil partner or charity are also exempt.
Regular gifts made out of surplus income, rather than capital, are exempt immediately if they do not affect your standard of living. Keeping clear records is essential.
Gifts to individuals can fall outside your estate for inheritance tax if you survive seven years after making them. If you die within seven years, the gift may be counted towards your estate.
If you die within three to seven years, taper relief can reduce the rate of inheritance tax due on certain gifts, from 32% at three to four years down to 8% at six to seven years.
For deaths on or after 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included in your estate for inheritance tax. Pensions left to a spouse or civil partner remain exempt, and death in service benefits are excluded.
If you die after 75, beneficiaries may also pay income tax on what they draw. Many people now need to rethink which savings they spend first and whether to gift from their pension income.
As soon as you have property, savings or pensions and people who depend on you. Earlier planning gives the seven-year clock time to run and makes more options available.
Plans should be reviewed every few years and whenever something changes: a marriage, a birth, a house move, an illness or a change in the rules.
A will sets out who receives your assets and who looks after your affairs when you die. An estate plan includes a will but goes further, covering gifting, trusts, pensions, insurance, powers of attorney and the cost of care, all arranged to reduce tax and make sure your wishes are carried out.
The first meeting is free. After that it depends on whether you need a single piece of advice or ongoing planning and investment management. We publish the whole fee structure, so you can check the numbers before you speak to anyone.
The rules around inheritance tax are complicated, so always take professional advice before acting. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate taxation and trust advice, deeds of variation or will writing.
Half an hour with an adviser about your estate, your family and what you would like to leave behind.
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