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Tax Planning for Spouses
January 29, 2019

Capital

As mentioned in a separate article in our January 2019 Professional Newsletter, as transfers between husband and wife are ignored for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) purposes, why not use this as much as you can to reduce a clients’ tax bill for any gains?

Pensions

Many a time when looking at a couple’s finances, everything seems to be done in the husband’s name and very little in the wife’s. If you are wanting to reduce long-term tax, this needs to change.

Let’s say all pension planning is done in the husband’s name alone, and he ends up with a pension of £60k p/year. This will obviously be well into 40% tax whereas, if it was done jointly and evenly, such that each party had £30k pensions p/year, only 20% tax would be payable. That represents a big tax saving and shouldn’t be ignored. Planning must be started early on to achieve this – and that’s where MAP comes in.

If you are doing accounts for a self-employed person, is it possible to do the same thing as a partnership, by introducing a wife into the planning? Perhaps through setting up a Limited Liability Partnership?

Inheritance

Every individual now gets £325k basic exemption from Inheritance Tax Planning (IHT), and then on top of this is the residence nil rate band which in due course will bring the exemptions up to £500k per person. The same applies with CGT – if assets were owned jointly, then maximum exemption could be obtained, and so significant savings on tax could be made.

A lot of these simple exemptions need a bit of planning as they just don’t happen overnight. Care has to be taken every step of the way to ensure compliance with the legislation, and that is what we do at MAP.

One of our IFAs is also a qualified accountant (and ex-Inland Revenue employee), who has many years’ experience as a financial adviser, and his work is all about planning. If he can help your clients, just let us know.

If you would like to find out more information or would like to start investing today, please contact Money Advice & Planning Ltd on 0345 241 1808 or e-mail us at enquiries@mapfinances.co.uk.

The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Links to external sites are for information only and do not constitute endorsement. Always obtain independent professional advice for your own particular situation. Money Advice & Planning Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.