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...

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 Pensions

Adviser chases Hartley Pensions for ten months over clients' SSAS transfer

Adviser chases Hartley Pensions for ten months over clients' SSAS transfer

Takes case to The Pensions Ombudsman

clock 10 September 2026 • 2 min read
Pension changes to impact more than half of advised clients

Pension changes to impact more than half of advised clients

Advisers’ biggest concern is not understanding the pension IHT rules

Sophia Panayi
clock 09 September 2026 • 2 min read
HMRC updates on information sharing for IHT on pensions

HMRC updates on information sharing for IHT on pensions

Second technical note

Alex Levy
clock 01 September 2026 • 2 min read