Murray Beith Murray LLP is a leading Scottish private client law firm.
For 175 years we have specialised in meeting the legal, financial and administrative needs of individuals and families, family trusts, charities and private companies.
A Freedom of Information request by Quilter has shown that HMRC investigates a quarter of the estates liable to pay Inheritance Tax each year. What do Executors need to do during an HMRC investigation and what steps can be taken to prevent an investigation in the first place?
If you are lucky enough to be spending your summer in your own property in the sun, your thoughts might turn to who you want to enjoy your property when you are no longer here and how you can plan for this.
Inheritance tax (“IHT”) payments have hit yet more record highs, according to data recently released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). HMRC collected £5.4 billion in Inheritance tax (IHT) in the year to March 2019. This represents a £160 million increase from the same period a year ago.
Despite the turmoil caused by economic uncertainty surrounding Brexit, figures show that the housing market in Scotland has continued to flourish. The average house price in Scotland rose by 2.4 per cent in 2018. The total volume of sales in 2018 also increased from those seen in 2017. While there are always exceptions in particular sectors or locations, the market generally appears to be performing strongly, with further growth predicted over the next five years.
Recent reports have highlighted that inheritance tax receipts continue to grow despite the introduction of the new residence nil rate band. Inheritance tax receipts reached an astounding high of £5.2 billion in the last tax year. This is an 8 per cent increase compared to the £4.8 billion total that was reported in the previous tax year of 2016-17.
