Could you be liable for inheritance tax?

Most people regard inheritance tax as a concern only for the very wealthy, but the total value of your assets could be more than you realise. In addition to the value of your property, your household contents, car, savings and investments could all be included for inheritance tax purposes. Even ISAs and PEPs lose their tax-free status and are added as part of your potential taxable estate.

And with the recent property boom, you could be closer to the inheritance tax threshold than you realise. A property worth £100,000 five years ago would now be worth an average of £149,547*. That's a change of 49.55%.

*Source: Nationwide Building Society Website house price calculator, June 2008.

In the same time period the IHT tax threshold has risen from £255,000
to £312,000 - a change of only 22%.

Luckily, with some expert advice and good forward planning you can help reduce or even avoid inheritance tax altogether.

If you would like to find out if you are potentially liable for inheritance tax or how to plan to reduce it, you should speak to your usual financial adviser.

The law relating to tax may change in the future.

If you don't have a financial adviser you can visit www.unbiased.co.uk

WC02014 06/2008