
The Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) published its second report earlier this month which provides recommendations to the Treasury on the simplification of Inheritance Tax (IHT). Although the remit of the report was to simplify existing policy, rather than to propose different policy, the recommendations would lead to a significant change in existing tax planning strategies. The report highlights that the inconsistencies and complexity of the existing rules lead to a difference in tax paid between individuals who seek specialist advice and the large number of people who do not seek advice. The OTS anticipates that this difference would be narrowed if the recommendations were implemented.