Guides & advice

Estate planning, explained plainly

Practical guides on inheritance tax, wills, powers of attorney, trusts and more. Written for families in the UK, without the jargon.

Tax4 min read

Selling your business: the tax you need to plan for before you sign anything

Business Asset Disposal Relief could reduce your CGT rate to 10% on up to £1 million of gains. But you need to qualify before exchange, not after.

11 June 2026

Tax4 min read

Selling a buy-to-let or second home: what you'll pay in capital gains tax and how to reduce it

CGT on residential property applies at 18% or 24% depending on your income. The annual exemption is now just £3,000. Here is what you can and cannot do to reduce the bill.

4 June 2026

Trusts4 min read

Can a trust protect your home from care home fees?

A trust set up well in advance and for legitimate reasons may provide some protection. But a trust created specifically to avoid care costs is likely to be treated as deliberate deprivation.

28 May 2026

Trusts4 min read

What a family trust actually does (and when it's worth it)

Trusts are not just for the very wealthy. A discretionary trust can protect assets from divorce, creditors, and inheritance tax in ways a straightforward will cannot.

21 May 2026

LPA4 min read

Setting up a lasting power of attorney for an elderly parent: what families get wrong

The most common mistake families make with an elderly parent's LPA is waiting too long. Here is what you need to know before it becomes urgent.

14 May 2026

LPA4 min read

How much does a lasting power of attorney cost in the UK?

The OPG registration fee is £82 per LPA, but that is only part of the picture. Here is what you should expect to pay and why.

7 May 2026

LPA4 min read

Lasting power of attorney: the two types, what they cover, and why waiting is the main risk

An LPA must be set up while you have mental capacity. Once that window closes, your family faces the Court of Protection instead, which is slower, costlier, and more stressful.

30 April 2026

Estate Planning4 min read

What actually happens to your estate if you die without a will in the UK

Dying without a will means the intestacy rules decide who inherits. Cohabiting partners, unmarried parents, and stepchildren can all be left with nothing.

16 April 2026

Estate Planning4 min read

Why most people sort their will and lasting power of attorney at the same time

A will and a lasting power of attorney solve different problems. Most people only discover the LPA gap when a parent can no longer make decisions for themselves.

2 April 2026

Estate Planning4 min read

You probably need a new will. Here is why the one you wrote years ago may not do what you think

Wills go out of date faster than most people realise. Marriage, divorce, new property, and changing family structures can all undermine a will you wrote years ago.

19 March 2026

IHT4 min read

Gifting money to your family: the 7-year rule and what most people get wrong

Giving money to your children or grandchildren during your lifetime is one of the most effective ways to reduce inheritance tax. But the rules catch many people out.

5 March 2026

IHT4 min read

The inheritance tax threshold: what it is, what it isn't, and why it keeps catching people out

The nil-rate band has been frozen while house prices have risen, quietly pulling more families into inheritance tax. Here is how the thresholds actually work.

19 February 2026

IHT4 min read

When do you actually need inheritance tax advice?

Not everyone needs a specialist. But if any of these signs apply to your situation, getting advice could save your family a significant amount.

5 February 2026

IHT4 min read

Five ways to reduce inheritance tax on your estate

Inheritance tax at 40% is one of the most predictable bills your family could face. These five approaches could reduce what they pay.

22 January 2026

IHT4 min read

Your pension and the 2027 inheritance tax change: what's actually happening

From April 2027, most unused pension pots will fall inside your estate for inheritance tax purposes. Here is what that means for your family.

8 January 2026

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