There are other taxes when inheriting than the inheritance tax such as Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax. So if you have to do an estate transfer but are not moving assets across borders, you don’t have to worry about the inheritance tax as long as you use smarter strategies to avoid it. Inheritance taxes is a tax imposed on all future transfers of an estate from the inheritance owner to a beneficiary. It replaces the death tax, and is one not present in the UK which has since been replaced by IHT (Inheritance Tax).
Here we will be focusing on smart ways to avoid inheritance tax, with many suggestions for those who hope to pass their estates down without much hassle.
What is an Inheritance Tax?
The inheritance tax has been the topic of many lawsuits over its overturning or a decrease in rates. The law didn’t technically become law until 1863, and was originally designed as a way to raise money for the Confederate Army by having people pay taxes for their distaste of slavery. The taxing was implemented at a rate of 609 mill to be paid per person when an estate was not divided equally among heirs ordered by bloodline; they would give property only if they were guaranteed that they would each get an equal value of the say property.
One of the many unforeseen financial complications that life throws at people is a dreaded inheritance tax, which eats away at retirement funds or other assets without touching your paycheck. But the simple truth is most people don’t know the inheritance tax exists until they receive it in their mailbox.
What you can do now to avoid inheritance tax
If you decide to leave your assets to the next generation, steps need to be taken as soon as possible. You’ll want to consider making a will in which you name a trust for the benefit of your children and if no lawsuit is brought against you, these assets will pass unencumbered.
If an individual takes out life insurance on themselves and their spouse, both beneficiaries receive the benefit of any estate tax savings. It’s also important that they set up trust during the course of the relationship. Otherwise, inheritance tax could be charged at capital gains rates, which are high!
Avoid inheriting tax by taking these smart steps
In some situations, it’s possible for someone to save lots of money if you are able to increase your assets and income at the same time. With this in mind, let’s have a look at some smart ways to avoid inheriting tax through inheritance. One option is to go full-time self-employed or become a freelancer. If you are fortunate enough to inherit death benefits from somebody that earns huge amounts, take their money elsewhere with planning and send it into progressive earnings such as low-interest bonds or ETFs.
- Don’t go into a trust – If there’s no trust, you won’t receive an inheritance tax bill.
- Don’t go into a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) – The government considers RRSPs to be gifts and therefore two times the RRSP amount is subject to inheritance tax.
- Transfer assets early – Transferring assets earlier will allow them to avoid being considered part of the deceased’s taxable estate.
- Don’t combine assets from spouses – If assets are sourced from different spouses, they function as separate entities and thus the estate’s value doesn’t qualify for inclusion in the deceased’s taxable estate.
Can a trust sidestep the estate tax?
In a trust, you can establish an irrevocable life insurance trust. This type of trust means that when your children inherit the money, they won’t owe gift tax on it. However, you will be subject to estate taxes on the remainder and when the corpus of the trust is distributed after your death. The most important thing to keep in mind about trust is how things work at the end of your life and when something goes wrong during this process.
Conclusion
Estimating your estate value isn’t easy and requires some complex calculations, but there are ways you can reduce the amount of inheritance tax on your estate including collecting assets outside of the UK. There are also daily steps you can take in order to keep from inheriting what may be more than you need, like finding smart ways to avoid debt and cutting back on spending. It’s important for everyone to understand how inheritance can affect them, so those who inherit may make provisions for the ones they love.
Shubham Kansal is a bit addicted to the latest happening in the political and sports world. He loves to watch anime & manga, suspense, and Horror web series. He used to search and writes about the latest political, sports, and popular celebrity biography.