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Money Box Live: Wills and Inheritance

07/11/2012

Wills and Inheritance

BBC Radio 4 - Money Box Live, Wills and Inheritance

Vincent Duggleby and guests answer calls on planning ahead for when you die.

Millions of people in Britain have not made a will. If you're one of them, it means you have no control over where your assets - your property, your investments or your hard-earned cash - will end up when you die. It could also cause extra distress for your family trying to sort out the mess that's been left behind. 

And it may mean more of your money going to the Inland Revenue instead of to your nearest and dearest. 

If you're living together, but aren't married or in a civil partnership, it's even more important to write a will because without one, there are no special rules that automatically allow the surviving partner to inherit. So they might get nothing. The situation is different in Scotland. 

If you're worried about the cost, now might be a good time to get your affairs in order, because November is the annual Will Aid month - when thousands of solicitors around the UK offer to write your will without charging a fee and ask you instead to make a donation to charity. 

It's also a good time to get advice on inheritance tax planning - especially if your possessions are worth more than £325,000 or £650,000 for a married couple or those in a civil partnership. Any gifts to beneficiaries above that amount is taxed at 40%. 

Tax rules allow you to give away some of your assets tax-free. But do you know what these rules are? Can you give away cash or even a house to your family before you die? What are the tax implications of doing so?
Whatever your question, Vincent Duggleby and a panel of guests are ready to provide you with answers

How do you make a will and how much will it cost? 

What information is required? 

Do you understand the inheritance laws and how they'll affect your family? 

What happens if you're not married or not in a civil partnership? 

What is the system in Scotland? 

How much can you give away during your lifetime to reduce tax on your death? 

How can you protect your digital assets? 

Vincent Duggleby will be joined by:

James Brogan, Solicitor at Russel and Aitken Solicitors 

Nicola Plant, Partner at Pemberton Greenish Solicitors

Mark Smithson, Senior Tax Manager, Grant Thornton 

Producer is Sally Abrahams.

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