by johnireland | Articles
Over the past five years, Family Investment Companies have moved from a niche planning tool used by the ultra-wealthy to a mainstream option for business owners and property investors looking to pass wealth to the next generation. A Family Investment Company — or FIC...
by johnireland | Articles
A 75% Increase Overnight On 13 July 2026, the cost of applying for a grant of probate in England and Wales rose from £300 to £526 — a 75 per cent increase. For many families, the fee itself is manageable. But combined with processing delays, HMRC requirements, and the...
by johnireland | Tax Talk
Taper relief is one of the most misunderstood rules in inheritance tax planning. Most people believe it gradually reduces the value of a gift over seven years. It does not. It reduces the rate of tax — and only on amounts above the nil-rate band. Here is how the...
by johnireland | Articles
The Seven-Year Rule Is Not What Most People Think Ask most people how inheritance tax works on lifetime gifts, and they will tell you something along these lines: give money away, survive seven years, and it is tax-free. That is broadly correct — but the detail...
by johnireland | Tax Talk
The Headline HMRC collected £8.5 billion in inheritance tax during the 2025-26 tax year — the highest figure ever recorded. The Office for Budget Responsibility projects receipts will exceed £14 billion annually by the end of the decade. Why It Is Happening The...
