The reasons for this are as follows:
- Concern regarding the donor’s long term financial requirements;
- Concern regarding the readiness of the donee to receive the gift;
- Concern regarding the potential divorce of the donee;
- Concern regarding the costs and administration of setting up a Trust as the donee; and/or
- Concern as to which child is the most appropriate to inherit assets.
Inheritance Tax Provision through Life Assurance is a viable means to protect the Estate and avoid a forced sale. It can also provide a useful means of diversification for an estate. There are a number of different options available here at Lycetts:
- Death by Accident only: a sum assured equal to the potential IHT liability would be paid in the event of death as a result of an accident only. This type of policy is renewed annually at the discretion of the insurers;
- Level Term Assurance cover is provided: in the event of death by any cause during a specified term (ten years, for example);
- Whole of Life Assurance: a sum assured is payable on death whenever that may occur and premiums can either be short term and reviewable or long term and guaranteed; and/or
- Gift Inter-Vivos: where a gift has been made as a Potentially Exempt Transfer (PET), Life Assurance can be taken out to provide for the potential IHT liability in the event of death during the seven years following the PET.
