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Hi I want to pay as little as possible IHT. The limit is £3000 per year that can be paid per year to anyone.Can anyone tell me is there anything stopping me paying several small amounts of cash (say £100-£200) to my son (who is buying a flat) as well as the £3000.Who knows what happens to smallish amounts of cash. Answers appreciated. James

jjaammeess Mon 21/07/08 11:55

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dzug
Mon 21/07/08
12:30

There is nothing stopping you giving anything you like to your son.

Whether amounts above the limit get counted for IHT depends on your honesty, the honesty of your son and of your executors - and the records available to them.

As to small amounts, it's doubtful if they'd get noticed, and if you made a habit of it might come uner the 'normal expenditure' exemption:

Normal expenditure out of income
Gifts which are made purely out of income as part of a person's normal expenditure are exempt from inheritance tax. The claimant must show that after allowing for the gifts the donor was left with sufficient income to maintain their usual standard of living and that there was an established pattern of giving.

Bear in mind that you are going to survive 7 years anyway, aren't you? (Just to look on the bright side.....)

In A Pickle
Mon 21/07/08
12:31

I wasn't aware there was any financial limit on how much you can pay to avoid IHT.I was under the impression that providing the "giver" lived for 7 years after the gift it was IHT free?
I may be wrong.I hope someone can confirm or deny my opinion.

In A Pickle
Mon 21/07/08
12:32

Sorry dzug we crossed posts.

buildersmate
Tue 22/07/08
07:41

To clarify for IAP. You are right - if the giver lives for 7 years plus, there is no limit.
What Dzug means is that if the giver doesn't live for 7 years, any giving within the last 7 years of the person's life doesn't count for IHT purposes either, if the guidelines mentioned by Dzug are followed.

Jenna1978
Tue 22/07/08
07:45

Make sure you have named specific people on any death in service benefits and have anything like life insurance and pensions in trust.

If not then they can end up in your estate and could bump up any sum for IHT calculation.

If say you die while having death in service benefit and the payout is say 4 x your current salary, if you were on £50.00 a year then you could bump your estate up by around £200k.

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