23/07/2026
A major change to Inheritance Tax is on the way โ ๏ธ
From 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds will be included as part of your estate when calculating Inheritance Tax.
The current Inheritance Tax thresholds remain:
โช ยฃ325,000 Nil Rate Band per person.
โช An additional ยฃ175,000 Residence Nil Rate Band may be available if you leave your home to direct descendants.
โช Married couples and civil partners can usually pass unused allowances to each other, meaning many couples can potentially pass on up to ยฃ1 million before Inheritance Tax becomes payable (where they qualify for the full Residence Nil Rate Band).
โชAnything above the available allowances is generally taxed at 40%.
With pensions soon being included in your estate, many more families could be affected than before.
This doesn't mean everyone should make changes immediately, but it does mean your retirement and estate planning should be reviewed to make sure you're still using the right strategy.
If you've built up a sizeable pension over the years and haven't reviewed your plans recently, now is a good time to do so.