New Year Resolutions To Save Tax

At this time of year we think about New Year’s resolutions. It is also a good time to start planning your tax affairs before the end of the tax year on 5th April.

An obvious tax planning point would be to maximise your ISA allowances for the 2020/21 tax year (currently £20,000 each).

You might also want to consider increasing your pension savings before 5 April 2021 as the unused annual pension allowance is lost after three years.

For those looking to do some inheritance tax planning, it would be a good time to review (or make) your Will.

Pension Planning

For most taxpayers the maximum pension contribution is £40,000 each tax year, although this depends on their earnings. This limit covers both contributions by the individual and by their employer.

Note that the unused allowance for a particular tax year may be carried forward for three years and can be added to the relief for the current, but then lapses if unused.

Hence the unused pension allowance for 2017/18 will lapse on 5 April 2021 if unused.

Note that there are rumours that pension tax relief may be restricted in the next Budget. Under the current rules, the net after tax cost of saving £4,000 in a personal pension for a higher rate taxpayer is £3,000. HMRC then add a further £1,000 to your contribution and there is a further £1,000 relief when your tax liability is calculated, thus the value of your pension pot would be £5,000, for a net cost of £3,000. Remember that pension fund investments can go down as well as up, but a 40% fall would be unlikely.

Time To Review Your Will?

Top of the to do list for many individuals is to make or update their will. Many think this is something to leave until later in life but it is important to get things in place once property is acquired or when children come along.

In the absence of a will there are statutory rules which dictate how your assets are distributed on death. Those statutory intestacy rules may not be tax efficient and you might to want to make specific provision in your Will for your unmarried partner or for the guardianship of your children.

Passing On The Family Home

One recent change that should be taken into consideration when drafting your Will is the additional Inheritance Tax (IHT) nil rate band for passing on the family home to direct descendants on death. We can work with your solicitor to make sure your Will is tax efficient.

Now that the additional relief is fully phased in it provides an extra £175,000 on top of to the normal £325,000 nil rate band.  Where the allowance is unused on the death of the first spouse, the unused allowance is available on the death of the surviving spouse, potentially allowing a married couple (or civil partners) to potentially pass on assets of up to £1 million without paying IHT.

This additional relief is, however, restricted if your assets exceed £2 million. The rules are fairly complicated but we can review your personal circumstances to ensure that you take advantage of all the relief that you are entitled to.

This relief is even available when you downsize to a smaller property.

For example, if a married couple currently live In a large house worth  £500,000 downsize to a flat worth £300,000, they could give away some of the proceeds during their lifetime and yet still benefit from inheritance tax relief based on the higher valued property. 

They could even sell up completely and move into a rental property or a care home and still get the inheritance tax relief!

The Rawcliffe & Co team is available via phone or email Monday to Thursday 9-5pm and 9 – 4:30pm on Fridays.

Tel: 01253 798812
Email: info@rawcliffeco.com