Emma Gadsden: Can IHT be made 'fit for purpose'?

Office for Tax Simplification review

clock • 4 min read

With the Office for Tax Simplification launching a wide-ranging consultation into inheritance tax, Emma Gadsden runs through the various issues likely to be of interest to advisers and their clients

Inheritance tax (IHT) has been around for more than 300 years. In its current form, it replaced the old Capital Transfer Tax, which had been developed with a philosophical basis - to protect the poor by deliberately redistributing inherited wealth through taxation. This January, Chancellor Philip Hammond described the current IHT system as "particularly complex" and asked the Office for Tax Simplification (OTS) to review it. In a letter to the OTS, he wrote: "I would be most interested to hear any proposals you may have for simplification, to ensure that the system is fit for purpose and...

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

Business Relief in IHT planning set to become 'even more important'

Business Relief in IHT planning set to become 'even more important'

Advisers expect to see an increase in unquoted BR in IHT planning

Isabel Baxter
clock 09 May 2024 • 1 min read
PA360: AIM investments should be 'more than an IHT planning option'

PA360: AIM investments should be 'more than an IHT planning option'

How AIM is becoming more mainstream in financial planning

Jenna Brown
clock 26 April 2024 • 2 min read
Inheritance tax receipts hit a record of £7.5bn as 2023/24 year ends

Inheritance tax receipts hit a record of £7.5bn as 2023/24 year ends

‘IHT is the tax gift that keeps on giving as record receipts have been banked’

Hope Coumbe
clock 23 April 2024 • 2 min read