IHT shake-up: What will come of SSAS discretionary death benefits?

'Essential that issues are addressed and rectified in the draft rules'

clock • 4 min read

As unused pension funds come under the scope of IHT for the first time, Caitlin Southall looks at the consequences for SSAS...

The government's decision to include unused pension funds in scope for inheritance tax (IHT) is naturally an unpopular one for the pensions industry. For people who have saved responsibly for their retirement, with an understanding that they would be able to pass any unused pension to their beneficiaries on their death, the new proposal seems unfair, especially absent of any transitional protection. One of the main benefits of saving into a small self-administered scheme (SSAS) was the ability to pass wealth down to future generations in a tax-efficient manner. Draft rules are awaited wh...

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