ESTATE PLANNING
Family Investment Companies (FICs) are gaining momentum as a vehicle to pass on wealth from one generation to next. While trusts have long been used to secure this objective, changes made to the taxation of trusts several years ago rendered large scale trust planning more difficult because of potential upfront inheritance tax charges.
If you wish to gift into a trust more than £325,000 for an individual or £650,000 for a married couple or civil partners, there will be an immediate charge to inheritance tax (IHT) at the rate of 20% on the balance above these amounts. Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs) and Family Investment Companies (FICs) are at the vanguard of IHT planning and allow you to gift your assets without suffering this lifetime charge, while importantly allowing you to retain control of the assets. For many individuals the element of control offered by both FLPs and FICs is as important as the significant tax mitigation.
Cala Investments Limited is fortunate to link with one of Scotland’s leading legal firms with a professional team expert in development and management of these 21st century strategies in estate planning. The team was recently commended for the innovation of its FLP structure by the Financial Times.
These products, trusts and some forms of tax planning are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. All statements concerning the tax treatment of products and their benefits are based upon our understanding of current tax law and HMRC practices both of which are subject to change in the future. Levels and bases of reliefs from taxation are also subject to change, and are dependent on your individual circumstances.