Wills (IHT) Flashcards
What is IHT?
Tax paid on the estate of a deceased person.
Applies to (a) UK assets of UK resident taxpayers; and (b) worldwide assets of UK domiciled taxpayers.
IHT can also be triggered during a person’s lifetime.
What are the current rates of IHT?
- Nil Rate Band: 0%,
- Lifetime Rate: 20%
- Death Rate: 40%
What are the three events that trigger an IHT charge?
- Potentially Exempt Transfers (PET)
- Lifetime Chargeable Transfer (LCT)
- Death
What is a Potentially Exempt Transfer (PET)?
- Lifetime transfers of value that could become chargeable if the transferor does not survive for seven years.
- It becomes fully exempt if the transferor survives 7 years.
What is a Lifetime Chargeable Transfer (LCT)?
Lifetime transfers of value immediately chargeable.
What happens when a person dies regarding IHT?
When a person dies, there is a deemed transfer of all the assets that they own per s.4 IHTA.
IHT is chargeable on this transfer of value.
What is a transfer of value in the context of IHT?
A ‘transfer of value’ is a ‘disposition’ that results in an immediate decrease in the value of the estate.
What does the term ‘Nil Rate Band’ refer to?
Individuals have a basic nil rate band of £325,000.
They can make £325,000 of chargeable transfers at a rate of 0% (i.e. no tax due).
What is a transferable nil rate band (TNRB)?
A surviving spouse/civil partner can inherit the unused portion of their basis NRB.
What is the Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB)?
An additional NRB for individuals who die on or after 6 April 2017 if they leave their family home to a direct descendant.
The ‘Residence Nil Rate Band’ (RNRB) is £175,000.
£325,000 + £175,000 = £500,000 at 0%
What are the conditions for a PET to become chargeable?
If the transferor doesn’t survive for 7 years after the transfer, it becomes chargeable alongside the death estate.
What are the tax implications of Lifetime Chargeable Transfers (LCT)?
All lifetime transfers of value into a trust will give rise to LCT payable on the chargeable value at a rate of 20%.
If the transferor dies within 7 years, the LCT will be reassessed at the death rate of 40%.
Transfer into trust > IHT 20% > Die within 7 years > reassessed at 40%
What does ‘cumulation’ mean in the context of IHT?
Cumulation prevents reduction of IHT by making a series of separate dispositions and means HMRC considers all chargeable transfers made in seven years prior to the transfer being taxed.
What is the cumulative total and what impact does it have on the NRB?
The combined figure (cumulative total) of total chargeable value of all transfers made in the previous 7 years.
The cumulative total is deducted from the NRB to provide the available NRB
For example, A made a PET of 50k in 2020. A PET of 100k in 2021. The cumulative total is £150,000. A dies in 2022. His NRB is reduced (£325,000 - £150,000) to £175,000 @ 0%.
How do we calculate the available NRB?
Full NRB - Cumulative Total
= Available NRB
What percentage is the NRB taxed at?
0%
When can a spouse take advanatge of the TNRB - unused portion of the deceased basic NRB?
- If a married individual dies, and some/all of their NRB is unused, the spouse can claim an increase in the survivor’s NRB equal to the unused percentage of spouse’s NRB.
- TNRB is only available after the surviving spouse dies. It can’t be claimed for a LCT chargeable lifetime transfer
What if the deceased had multiple spouses? How much TNRB can they claim?
Individuals who survive multiple spouses can claim TNRB in respect of all spouses subject to a cap of 100% full NRB being transferred.
In other words, the maximum would be his own £325,000 + a combination of NRB from spouses up to £325,000 = £650,000
What is Residence Nil Rate Band (RNRB)?
RNRB is an additional nil rate band. It applies if the following are satisfied:
- The deceased died on or after 6 April 2017
- Their death estate **included a qualifying residential interest **
- The QRI was **‘closely inherited’ by a ‘direct descended’ **
What is the RNRB amount?
- Full RNRB: £175,000
- If the deceased share of the property is less than £175k, it’s capped at the value of their interest.
- Tapered withdrawal of RNRB for estates with a net value of more than £2 million. Reduced £1 for every £2 above £2 million.
- **No RNRB for net estates with £2,350,000 or more. **
What is a Qualifying Residential Interest for RNRB?
- Property which the deceased lived in
- Property the deceased did not live in, but intended to in due course.
- It does not include rental investments which the deceased never lived in.
For RNRB, when ios a QRI closely inherited?
A QRI must be closely inherited by a direct descendant.
- Children
- Grandchildren
- Great-Grandchildren
- Other lineal descendants
- Spouse/Civil Partner
- Widow or widower of anyone above (I - V) who pre-deceased the deceased and does not re-marry before deceased has died
- Adopted children, step children if their parent was married to the deceased (foster children count too)
A beneficiary with a contingent interest does not ‘closely inherit’ as they are not receiving absolute.
Can you transfer the RNRB?
- Yes. A transferred RNRB can only be used if the surviving spouse leaves a QRI to a direct descendant.
- The maximum is capped at £175,000
- There is a tapered withdrawal for net estates worth more than £2 million. The RNRB is reduced £1 every £2 in excess of £2m, and no RNRB can be claimed for estates worth £2.7m or more.
This is a TRNRB
What is the maximum combined total value a spouse can have when considering NRB, TNRB, RNRB, TRNRB?
- Full own NRB (£325,000)
- RNRB (£175,000)
- Transfered NRB (£325,000)
- Transferred RNRB (£175,000)
MAXIMIM: £1,000,000
What is the process for calculating IHT when someone dies?
- Calculate cumulative total
- Identify death estate
- Value the taxable estate
- Deduct debts
- Deduct exemptions and relief
- Apply RNRB
- Apply basic NRB
- Calculate tax.
What is stage 1 for calculating the IHT death estate?
Calculate the Cumulative Total
* Add up the value of all chargeable transfers in the 7 years prior to death.
* Reduce the NRB available accordingly
What is stage 2 for calculating the IHT death estate?
Identify the Death Estate.
All property to which the deceased was beneficially entitled at the date of death is included for IHT:
- Jointly owned property
- Property Subject to Reservation
- Lifetime gifts made on condition of death
- Statutory Nominations
- Interests in Possession
REMEMBER, the following are excluded:
- Life interest trust
- Discretionary Trusts
- Insurance Policy in Trust
- Discretionary Lump Sum Pension Death Benefits
What happens to jointly owned property for IHT purposes?
Stage 2, Death Estate
- If owned as tenants in common, the share passes into the deceased’s estate for tax and distribution purposes.
- For an owner as joint tenants, for IHT, there is a deemed severance of the joint tenancy so the ‘share’ is taxable.
What happens if a person reserves the benefit of an asset given away?
Stage 2, Death Estate
The value of the asset at the date of death will be included in the IHT estate when they die at the date of death value.
For example, parents give a holiday cottage to their children with the benefits of using it - this is included for IHT purposes.
What is the treatment of statutory nominations in IHT?
Stage 2, Death Estate
Statutory nominations do form part of the IHT estate on death, but not the distribution estate.
e.g. monies for the friendly society, industrial society or provident society accounts. The amount must not exceed £5000 in each account.
What are interest in possession trusts for IHT?
Stage 2, Death Estate
- Interest in possession trusts would arise in the following way “A was a life tenant of a trust created in 2004… the capital value was £150,00)
- If they are created pre-22 March 2006 they are included in the life tenant’s taxable estate.
- If they are created post-22 March 2006 it depends..
(a) Created following someones death (e.g. by will) - value is included in taxable deasth estate
(b) If created inter vivo, not included in taxable estate
What are excluded from the taxable estate?
Stage 2, Death Estate
- Life Interest Trusts (beneficiary only receives capital when life tenant dies)
- Discretionary trusts (because beneficiaries have no interest since they only hope to receive)
- Insurance Policy in Trust
* - Discretionary Lump Sum Pension Death Benefits
What is stage 3 for calculating the IHT death estate?
Value the taxable Estate