Death benefits

Read our technical articles

• Death benefits from April 2015
• Death benefits: discretion or direction
• Nominee and successor flexi-access drawdown
• Taxation of pension death benefits

Major changes to the tax charges that apply to benefits paid on the death of a pension scheme member took effect from 6 April 2015.  This article explains how the funds were treated prior to then.

• Death benefits pre 6 April 2015 overview

The Finance Act 2013 introduced a change which limits the deductibility of debts in certain circumstances.  Here we explain the changes.

• Deductibility of debts for Inheritance Tax

On the 6 April 2015 the residence nil-rate band (RNRB) was introduced. This is an additional threshold for inheritance tax (IHT) planning above the current £325,000 threshold. Here we explain how this works.

• Residence nil-rate band part 1
• Residence nil-rate band part 2

Gifts made to anyone from your client’s estate are exempt from inheritance tax provided they survive for a period of 7 years from the date the gift is made. Here we explain how this works.

• What is a gift inter vivos policy and when should it be used?

A spousal bypass trust can be used to stop death benefits falling into the surviving spouse’s estate. Here we explain how this type of trust works.

• What is a spousal bypass trust?
• Reasons why you might put pension death benefits into trust

 

CPD | Death benefits – Pensions freedoms in 2015 introduced major changes to pension death benefit options and taxation. Here we provide some technical support to help you.

• Death benefits

Death benefits: our top five frequently asked questions

Here we look at some of the questions we are asked most often. 

• Death benefits - Our top five questions