IHT planning: Why individual trusts work for couples

clock

Married couples can benefit from setting up 'single settlor' trusts rather than joint trusts, writes Eddie O'Gorman.

It is said that Gordon Brown ditched his plan to call a General Election in the autumn of 2007 after the then opposition leader, David Cameron, spoke of his party's intention to raise the inheritance tax (IHT) threshold to £1m when the Conservatives assumed power. IHT was a hugely unpopular tax at the time with petitions being foisted on Downing Street and repeated calls for an overhaul of the system being made. Fast forward through the financial crisis to today, with a recovering economy, escalating house prices and the IHT threshold frozen for the last five years, disgruntlement...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Tax Planning

HMRC continues to see raft of pension tax overpayment claims

HMRC continues to see raft of pension tax overpayment claims

Claim numbers hit 12,767 in second quarter

Isabel Baxter
clock 30 July 2025 • 2 min read
Economists pen open letter calling for a UK wealth tax

Economists pen open letter calling for a UK wealth tax

‘A progressive wealth tax is a critical step forward’

Isabel Baxter
clock 29 July 2025 • 3 min read
TISA and industry urge government to rethink IHT on pensions

TISA and industry urge government to rethink IHT on pensions

Research proposes simpler alternatives

Isabel Baxter
clock 14 July 2025 • 5 min read