SHEPPARD DAVIES
ASSET MANAGEMENT

SHEPPARD DAVIES WEALTH MANAGEMENT

i.Inheritance Tax Planning

Despite the Government reducing the options available to reduce an Inheritance Tax (IHT) liability, a number of measures exist to ensure a greater proportion of wealth is passed to others, usually younger generations within the family.

IHT planning can be complex and may involve a number of complimentary strategies such as lifetime gifts, gifting assets into appropriate trusts and specialist investment portfolios. Alternatively, it is possible to retain full access to assets and insure an IHT liability.

We offer a bespoke IHT planning service tailored to clients’ specific circumstances.

ii.Wills and the Rules of Intestacy

Writing a legally valid Will allows the opportunity to pass wealth to intended beneficiaries and are typically inexpensive to draft. Individuals who are resident of England and Wales and die without having made a legally valid Will or if a Will partially fails are known as dying ‘intestate’ and the estate becomes subject to the Rules of Intestacy.

The Rules of Intestacy determine how an estate is to be distributed after the payment of all debts and liabilities, testamentary expenses and funeral costs.

iii.Pensions

Although new legislation introduced in April 2006 simplified the rules governing pensions in the UK, some of the rules may still be regarded as complex.

Greater longevity and increases in the State Pension linked to inflation rather than earnings has resulted in an increase in responsibility for personal provision in retirement. We are able to conduct a comprehensive analysis of personal and occupational pensions and provide comments on the existing investment strategy and guidance on the suitability of contracts.

We are welcoming more clients to the company who require specialist retirement planning advice in terms of investment management and guidance on the structure and tax efficiency of benefits in the form of tax free cash and / or income.