2b. Inheritance Tax - Death Estate, Post-Mortem Reliefs, Anti-Avoidance, and Payment of IHT Flashcards
At the point of death, what is the deceased deemed to have made a chargeable transfer of?
The net value of their assets at the date of death
What is the net value of assets?
Total value of the assets owed by the deceased, less funeral expenses and any debt or liabilities owed by the deceased, but not probate costs
Is the annual exemption available to reduce the value of the chargeable death estate?
No
What are the four steps for calculating tax on death?
- Start with NRB for year of death
- Reduce NRB by value of CLTs and PETs within seven years of death
- Reduce the net value of the estate by the remaining NRB
- Tax the balance at 40%
What gifts are exempt from IHT on death?
- Gifts to spouse/civil partner
- Gifts to UK/EEA charities
What is the exception to the spouse exemption?
If the deceased was UK-domiciled but spouse is not, the limit is the NRB or £325,000
What are two exceptions to the general rule that the value of an asset is its market value at the date of death?
- Quoted shares
- Jointly owed assets
How are quoted shares valued?
Per the official list published by the Stock Exchange at the date of death
How are jointly owned assets valued?
Under the related property rules already discussed, i.e. we take a higher valuation if the property is worth more combined with property already owed by the recipient
In addition to non-UK assets owned by non-UK domiciled individuals, what are two types of interests that are considered excluded property?
- Reversionary interests under a life interest trust
- Interests in a discretionary trust
What are three liabilities that can be deducted from the estate, and what is one that cannot be?
Can deduct:
1. Mortgages
2. Income tax owed
3. Reasonable funeral expenses
Cannot deduct:
Probate costs
What % of net estate or baseline amount must be given to charity to benefit from a lower IHT rate, and what is that rate?
10% of estate or baseline amount must be given to charity for the IHT rate to be reduced to 36% from 40%
For the purposes of the charity rate reduction, what is the baseline amount?
Value of estate chargeable to IHT after deducting all available reliefs, exemptions, and the available NRB, but excluding the actual portion given to charity
What is the transferable nature of the NRB?
If an individual dies leaving some or all of their NRB, a claim can be made for the unused amount to be transferred to their spouse, who will then have an uplifted NRB
How is the uplifted NRB calculated?
Uplift the spouse’s current NRB at its current rate by the deceased’s unused % of their NRB at the rate at the time
What is one thing an uplifted NRB cannot be used for?
Lifetime tax on CLTs
How is an uplifted NRB claimed in practice?
On the death of the first spouse, it is recorded as part of the second spouse’s NRB. Upon the second spouse’s death, their executors make the claim
This is why it cannot be used for spouse 2’s CLTs
Can an individual claim an uplifted NRB from more than one deceased spouse?
Yes, but the uplift is capped at 100% on top of their own NRB (i.e. double their NRB)
What two criteria must be satisfied for the residence nil-rate band (RNRB) to be available in addition to the regular NRB?
- Estate includes a home that was used as the deceased’s private residence at some point, and
- Home or its sale proceeds are left to lineal descendants or spouses of such
What is the maximum relief available under the RNRB?
£175,000
To avail of the RNRB, is it necessary for the descendants to occupy the property after death?
No
Does the RNRB apply to lifetime transfers?
No, to the death estate only