What qualifies as an excepted estate for inheritance tax?
Andrew Mclaughlin
Published Feb 24, 2026
These are estates where the deceased died on or after 6 April 2004, domiciled in the United Kingdom, and whose gross value value (including the deceased’s share of jointly owned assets, any specified transfers and specified exempt transfers) does not exceed the inheritance tax nil rate band (see HMRC: Inheritance Tax …
How does HMRC know about inheritance tax?
However, the Executor of your will has to complete a form for HMRC, before probate is granted, which outlines the value of the estate for inheritance tax purposes. HMRC conducts random sampling of these forms, and this has increased over the past few years.
What’s the biggest problem with an inheritance plan?
The biggest problem with any tax inheritance plan is the rules in place, and the fact they keep changing. As they change, what in the past was acceptable, possibly might not be now.
What do you need to know about inheritance tax?
You need to speak with a qualified financial adviser before you start to make concrete plans. Sadly the rules are very ambiguous and constantly change. At the time of writing, the amount of allowance that can be passed between married couples is based on the size of the estate and how much of the allowance is used at the time of death.
What’s the limit for inheritance tax in the UK?
As a consequence, the £325,000 allowances, would now become, £475,000 (or £950,000 for a married couple). If the labour party came into power, they have stated they would reduce the allowance from the current £475,000 down to £125,000 (or £250,000 for a married couple).
Do you have to pay inheritance tax on life insurance?
The inheritance tax is a tax on the assets owned or controlled by a decedent at the time of his or her death. The tax does not apply to life insurance on the decedent’s life. It also applies to assets the decedent gifted within one year of the date of death.