It’s fair to say there was no one else quite like David Bowie. He was truly one of a kind, and his music helped inspire generations of people throughout his illustrious career. However, it would now seem that he could become an inspiration when it comes to estate planning too.
It’s easy to think, ‘I’d cope, that’ll never happen to me’. But any of us could become ill, and a critical illness policy may help to give some financial security at a difficult time.
If the worst does happen, it’s important to make sure you’re financially protected against the impact a critical illness could have on you and your family.
Successful investing involves making choices that meet your unique needs today and your financial goals for the future. A well-defined investment strategy is one of the cornerstones of a successful financial life. Investing is about building wealth slowly rather than getting rich overnight.
Understand what it will mean for you
1. The main ways to avoid Inheritance Tax are to spend your money while you are alive or give it away.
After taking the appropriate steps to put in place an Inheritance Tax planning strategy, if there is still the potential likelihood of a liability on your estate or if you have made gifts which have created a potential liability for the recipients if you die within seven years, we can help you review how you could fund this liability in the most efficient way.
Different trust solutions to managing your wealth
Some types of trust are treated differently for Inheritance Tax purposes.
Helping you control and protect your assets
One of the most effective ways you can manage your estate planning is through setting up a trust. The structures into which you can transfer your assets can have lasting consequences for you and your family, so it is important that you obtain professional advice, as the right structures can protect assets and give your family lasting benefits.
If there’s no valid will
When you die, your estate has to be distributed one way or another. If you have a will, your executors have to gain
a Grant of Probate in England & Wales or Northern Ireland (a Grant of Confirmation in Scotland). If there’s no valid will, or the named executors in the will are unwilling or unable to carry out their duties, a Grant of Letters of Administration is needed. This is known as ‘dying intestate’.
Planning your finances in advance should help you ensure that when you die, everything you own goes where you want it to. Making a will is the first step in ensuring that your estate is shared out exactly as you want it to be.