Wealth
Estate Planning Advice
Estate planning is about more than inheritance tax — it's making sure the right people receive the right assets at the right time, with the minimum of friction and tax.
Why Choose Us
Plan now so your family doesn't have to later
With careful planning, many estates can pass on more efficiently — sometimes saving hundreds of thousands in tax. We combine financial planning with introductions to specialist solicitors when legal documents are needed.
- Inheritance tax position modelled across the household
- Lifetime gifting strategies — annual exemptions, normal expenditure out of income, PETs
- Trust planning for life policies, family wealth and vulnerable beneficiaries
- Solicitor referrals for wills, LPAs and complex trust drafting
- Annual review as the rules and your estate evolve
Will writing and Lasting Powers of Attorney are not part of The Openwork Partnership offering and is offered in our own right. The Openwork Partnership accepts no responsibility for this aspect of our business.
Will writing, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Trusts are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Your Journey
A straightforward process
Family & Asset Map
We list assets, ownership structures and intended beneficiaries — the foundation of any plan.
IHT Calculation
We calculate your current IHT exposure and model alternative scenarios.
Strategy Build
We combine gifting, trusts and protection to meet your wishes efficiently.
Implement & Review
We coordinate solicitors where needed and revisit the plan annually.
FAQs
Common questions
What is the inheritance tax threshold?+
Each individual has a £325,000 nil-rate band plus a £175,000 residence nil-rate band when leaving a main home to direct descendants — potentially £500,000, or £1m for a married couple combined. Estates above the threshold are typically taxed at 40%.
Can I just gift money to reduce IHT?+
Gifts are often part of the answer, but timing and structure matter. Most gifts become fully outside the estate only after seven years (potentially exempt transfers), and gifts with reservation of benefit can be ineffective. We'll model the right mix for your situation.
Do trusts still work?+
Yes — trusts remain a core tool, particularly for life policies and for ringfencing assets for grandchildren or vulnerable beneficiaries. We work alongside trust solicitors when one is needed.
Is a will enough on its own?+
A will controls who receives what — but it doesn't reduce the tax. Estate planning combines a current will, appropriate trusts, lifetime gifting and sometimes life cover written in trust to meet any remaining liability.
Do you write wills and lasting powers of attorney?+
Wills and LPAs are legal documents drafted by qualified solicitors. We work alongside trusted legal partners and refer where appropriate, while owning the financial planning side ourselves.
Pass on more to the people who matter
A 30-minute conversation will usually identify the biggest opportunities to plan more efficiently.