by johnireland | Articles
When the Law Decides for You If you die without a valid will in England or Wales, the law decides who inherits your estate. There is no discretion, no flexibility, and no room for what you might have wanted. A rigid set of rules — known as the intestacy rules —...
by johnireland | Estate Planning Essentials
Leaving money directly to a vulnerable beneficiary — someone with a disability, mental health condition, addiction, or simply poor financial judgement — can do more harm than good. A direct inheritance above £16,000 can end means-tested benefits like Universal Credit...
by johnireland | Articles
When a Straightforward Inheritance Creates Problems Most estate plans assume that beneficiaries will be able to receive, manage, and benefit from their inheritance without difficulty. For the majority of families, that assumption holds. But for a significant minority,...
by johnireland | Tax Talk
If you earn between £100,000 and £125,140, you are paying an effective tax rate of 60% on that income — not the 40% you might expect. For every £2 you earn above £100,000, you lose £1 of your tax-free personal allowance. Combined with the 40% higher rate, this creates...
by johnireland | Articles
The Tax Band Nobody Warns You About Most business owners know the headline tax rates. The basic rate at 20%. The higher rate at 40%. The additional rate at 45% for earnings above £125,140. What far fewer realise is that there is a hidden tax band sitting right in the...
