Utilising your pension to cut inheritance tax

Price Mann • February 9, 2022

Utilising your pension to cut inheritance tax

Pensions usually fall outside of your estate.

Inheritance tax was thought to be ripe for reform in last year’s Autumn Budget but, as it happened, it was left untouched for another tax year.

What that means is the £325,000 nil-rate band has been in place since 2009, while the 40% standard rate of tax that can apply on any amount above that figure goes back even further than that.

This form of death duty is levied on our estates, which consist of any property, money and possessions.

While we don’t pay it ourselves, it can take a sizable chunk out of what your beneficiaries receive, especially if you are not in control of your estate.

There are many estate planning strategies, ranging from using ISAs and trusts to writing a legally-valid will and making potentially-exempt transfers, all of which we can help you with to form a comprehensive plan.

Another one of these tactics involves using your pension to reduce the value of your estate, ensuring you leave more of your wealth to your loved ones rather than HMRC.

Failing to do this, particularly if you have an estate worth more than £500,000 including your main residence, or up to £1 million if you’re in receipt of your deceased spouse’s full unused entitlement, leaves the door open for the taxman.

Fail to plan is planning to fail

It is easy to ignore inheritance tax. Some people think it’s only aimed at wealthy people, while others mistakenly believe they can take their money with them when they die.

Every individual in the UK has an inheritance tax-free threshold of £325,000. If your estate is worth more than this figure, tax can apply at 40% on everything above this threshold.

Indeed, between April and December 2021, HMRC had collected £507.7 billion – £114.1bn more than the same period a year earlier – although coronavirus-related deaths offer a big caveat

Property is one of the biggest assets that forms part of your estate, and the average price of a UK house was £252,687 in November 2021 – almost 15% higher than March 2020 when the COVID-19 crisis started.

And with both the nil-rate band and the residence nil-rate band frozen up to and including the 2025/26 tax year, it’s easy to see how more and more people will be dragged into inheritance tax’s net over the coming years.

Taking charge of planning your estate has arguably never been more important if you wish to pass on as much of your estate as possible to your loved ones.

What happens to your estate?

Depending on the total value of the assets you own when you die, your estate might be liable for inheritance tax.

The amount of inheritance tax HMRC will collect on behalf of the Treasury will vary, according to the total value of your estate and who your beneficiaries are.

Put simply, inheritance tax won’t apply if you have an estate worth less than £325,000. However, if your estate is worth more than this but you leave everything to your spouse, civil partner or a charity, inheritance tax also won’t apply.

But if you want to leave your estate to direct descendants, such as your children or grandchildren, inheritance tax could apply.

You might be able to leave them your family home as the residence nil-rate band (worth £175,000 per person in 2021/22) helps you to pass on your main residence.

For example, if your home is worth £1m, it’s possible to let your children inherit it without paying inheritance tax, assuming you have no other assets.

With house prices soaring, even the family home allowance is starting to look less than generous in many parts of the country. The good news is, however, your pension could help you cut your potential inheritance tax bill.

How your pension can help

Pensions usually fall outside of your estate for inheritance tax purposes. If you’ve ever nominated a beneficiary to inherit your pension, the pension will not form part of your estate.

As pensions are excluded from the calculation of whether your estate is worth £325,000 or more, the level at which inheritance tax typically becomes payable, they are a tax-efficient estate planning strategy.

Secondly, the pensions system can make it straightforward to pass on certain unused pensions to your beneficiaries, especially if you hold defined-contribution or money-purchase pension plans.

Finally, if you die before your 75th birthday, your nominated beneficiaries are entitled to all of the money with no tax to pay. If you die after age 75, they will still get the cash, but they must pay income tax at their marginal rate. The rules do change in certain situations, so please do check with us.

If you were to use your pension savings to purchase an annuity – an insurance contract paying you a regular income for life or a specified period – you might be able to pass on cash to the people or causes closest to your heart.

The annuity must be set up in the right way when you buy it, selecting options which allow you to pass on payments in the form of income or a lump sum. If this is not done on your death, no further payments will be made.

Annuity rates are determined by the Bank of England’s base rate of interest – which remained at 0.1% from March 2020 before increasing to 0.25% in December 2021 – and competition among insurers, while offering measly returns.

You could potentially reduce any inheritance tax liability by leaving your pension untouched and funding your retirement with other assets that do form part of your estate.

Getting some expert help

If you’re married, you leave your estate to your surviving spouse and you are the first partner to die, no inheritance tax will apply. If your nil-rate band has been unused, your partner can transfer the unused balance and add it to their own, up to a value of £1m.

However, if you have left bequests to others (and lifetime gifts made within seven years of death), your estate might attract inheritance tax if it's large enough and may use up some or all of the nil-rate band.

As you can see, the rules affecting inheritance tax are complex and getting the details absolutely right is essential. Your wealth and the future of your beneficiaries after you have gone are too important to be left to chance.

We can provide expert assistance to help you minimise inheritance tax, not just by using your pension, but with detailed estate planning to take full advantage of all the strategies.

Get in touch to discuss inheritance tax.

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Managing risk in your investment portfolio

By Price Mann • September 17, 2025

Managing risk in your investment portfolio Tips for a balanced investment approach. Investment markets rise and fall, yet the goals that matter to you – retirement security, children’s education, a comfortable buffer against the unexpected – remain constant. Managing risk means giving each goal the best chance of success while avoiding avoidable shocks. You can do that by holding the right mix of assets for your timeframe, using tax wrappers efficiently, and controlling costs and emotions. The 2025/26 UK tax year brings unchanged ISA and pension allowances. This guide explains the key steps, such as diversifying sensibly, rebalancing with discipline, safeguarding cash, and monitoring allowances, so you can stay on track whatever the markets deliver. It is an information resource, not personal advice. Start with a clear plan Define goals and timeframes: Decide what each pot of money is for (for example: house deposit in three years, retirement in 20 years). Time horizon drives how much short-term volatility you can accept. Short-term goals usually need more cash and high-quality bonds; long-term goals can justify more equities. Set your risk level in advance: Ask yourself two questions. Risk capacity: How much loss could you absorb without derailing plans (linked to your time horizon, job security and other assets)? Risk tolerance: How do you feel about market swings? Use a more cautious mix if you are likely to sell in a downturn. Ring-fence cash needs: Keep 3-6 months’ essential spending in easy-access cash before you invest. This reduces the chance of selling investments at a low point to meet bills. Choose simple, diversified building blocks: Broad index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) covering global equities and high-quality bonds provide instant diversification at low cost. Avoid concentration in a single share, sector or theme unless you are comfortable with higher risk. Diversification: Spread risk across assets, regions and issuers Diversification reduces the impact of any single holding. Practical ways to diversify include the following. Assets: Use both growth assets (equities) and defensive assets (investment-grade bonds, some cash). Regions: Combine UK and global holdings. Many UK investors hold too much domestically; global funds spread company and currency risk. Issuers: In bonds, mix UK gilts and investment-grade corporate bonds to diversify credit exposure. Currencies: Equity funds are commonly unhedged (currency moves add volatility but can offset local shocks). For bonds, many investors prefer sterling-hedged funds to lower currency risk. A diversified core helps the portfolio behave more predictably across different market conditions. You can add small “satellite” positions if you wish, but keep any higher-risk ideas to a modest percentage of the whole. Use tax wrappers to reduce avoidable tax and trading frictions Efficient use of ISAs and pensions is one of the most effective risk-management tools because it protects more of your return from tax. ISAs (individual savings accounts) Annual ISA allowance: £20,000 for 2025/26. You can split this across cash, stocks & shares and innovative finance ISAs. Lifetime ISAs (LISAs) are capped at £4,000 within the overall £20,000. Junior ISA (for children under 18): £9,000 for 2025/26 (unchanged). ISAs shield interest, dividends and capital gains from tax. Rebalancing inside an ISA does not create capital gains tax (CGT), which helps you maintain your chosen risk level at lower cost. Note: There has been public discussion about potential ISA reforms, but the current 2025/26 allowance is £20,000. If government policy changes later, we will let you know. Pensions (workplace pension, personal pension/SIPP) Annual allowance: £60,000 for 2025/26 (subject to tapering for higher incomes; see below). You may be able to carry forward unused annual allowance from the three previous years if eligible. Tapered annual allowance: If your adjusted income exceeds £260,000 and threshold income exceeds £200,000, the annual allowance tapers down (to a minimum of £10,000 for 2025/26). Money purchase annual allowance (MPAA): £10,000 for 2025/26 once you’ve flexibly accessed defined contribution benefits (for example, taking taxable drawdown income). Tax-free lump sum limits: The lifetime allowance has been replaced. From 6 April 2024, the lump sum allowance (LSA) caps total tax-free pension lump sums at £268,275 for most people, and the lump sum and death benefit allowance (LSDBA) is £1,073,100. Pensions are long-term wrappers designed for retirement. Contributions usually attract tax relief and investments grow free of UK income tax and capital gains tax while inside the pension. Personal savings: Interest allowances Personal savings allowance (PSA): Basic-rate taxpayers can earn up to £1,000 of bank/building society interest tax free; higher-rate taxpayers up to £500; additional-rate taxpayers do not receive a PSA. Starting rate for savings: Up to £5,000 of interest may be taxable at 0% if your other taxable non-savings income is below a set threshold. For 2025/26, that threshold is £17,570 (personal allowance of £12,570 plus the £5,000 starting rate band). Dividends and capital gains outside ISAs/pensions Dividend allowance: £500 for 2025/26 (unchanged from 2024/25). Dividend tax rates remain 8.75%, 33.75% and 39.35% for basic, higher and additional-rate bands, respectively. The annual capital gains tax (CGT) exempt amount , £3,000 for individuals (£1,500 for most trusts). CGT rates from 6 April 2025: For individuals, 18% within the basic-rate band and 24% above it, on gains from both residential property and other chargeable assets (carried interest has its rate). HMRC examples confirm the £37,700 basic-rate band figure used in CGT calculations for 2025/26. CGT reporting reminder: UK residents disposing of UK residential property with CGT to pay must report and pay within 60 days of completion. Other gains are reported via self assessment (online filing deadline is 31 January following the tax year; if you want HMRC to collect through your PAYE code, file online by 30 December; payments on account remain due 31 January and 31 July). Why this matters for risk: Using ISAs and pensions lowers the drag from tax, allowing you to rebalance and compound returns more effectively. Outside wrappers, plan disposals to use the £3,000 CGT allowance and each holder’s tax bands and consider transfer to a spouse/civil partner (no CGT on gifts between spouses) before selling where suitable. Bonds and cash: Interest-rate and inflation considerations Interest rates: The Bank of England reduced the Bank Rate to 4% at its August 2025 meeting. Bond prices can move meaningfully when rates are high or changing, especially for longer-dated bonds. Consider the duration of bond funds and whether a mix of short- and intermediate-duration exposure suits your time horizon. Inflation: Headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation was 3.6% in the 12 months to June 2025, while the CPI including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) rose by 4.1%. Inflation affects the real value of cash and bond coupons, and can influence central bank policy, affecting bond prices. Review whether your mix of cash, index-linked gilts and conventional bonds remains appropriate as inflation and interest-rate expectations evolve. Cash strategy: For short-term needs, spread deposits to respect Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) limits. For longer-term goals, excessive cash can increase the risk of falling behind inflation. Control costs and product risk Keep fees low: Ongoing charges figures (OCFs), platform fees and trading costs compound over time. Favour straightforward funds and avoid unnecessary expenses. Understand the product: Structured products, highly concentrated thematic funds or complex alternatives can behave unpredictably. If you use them, size them modestly within a diversified core. Use disciplined trading rules: Avoid frequent tinkering. Set rebalancing points (see below) and resist acting on short-term news. Rebalancing: Why, when and how Markets move at different speeds. Without rebalancing, a portfolio can “drift” to a higher or lower risk level than you intended. Follow this simple rebalancing framework. Invest in something that will rebalance automatically (i.e. certain ETFs) Frequency: Review at least annually. Thresholds: Rebalance when an asset class is 5 percentage points away from target (absolute) or 20% away (relative). Tax-aware execution: I prefer to rebalance inside ISAs and pensions. Outside wrappers, use new cash or dividends where possible; then consider selling gains up to the £3,000 CGT allowance and factoring in dividend and savings allowances. Implementation tip: If markets are volatile, use staged trades (for example, three equal tranches a few days apart) rather than one large order. Safeguard cash and investments with the right protections FSCS protection (cash deposits): Up to £85,000 per person, per authorised bank/building society group is protected. Temporary high balances from specific life events can be covered up to £1m for six months. The Prudential Regulation Authority has consulted on raising the standard deposit limit to £110,000 and the temporary high balance limit to £1.4m from 1 December 2025 (proposal stage at the time of writing). FSCS protection (investments): If a regulated investment firm fails and your assets are missing or there is a valid claim for bad advice/arranging, compensation may be available up to £85,000 per person, per firm. This does not protect you against normal market falls. Operational risk checks: Use Financial Conduct Authority authorised providers, check how your assets are held (client money and custody), enable multi-factor authentication, and keep beneficiary and contact details up to date. Currency risk: When to hedge For equities, many long-term investors accept currency fluctuations as part of the growth engine, since sterling often weakens when global equities are stressed, partly offsetting losses. For bonds, many prefer sterling-hedged funds to keep defensive holdings aligned with sterling cashflow needs. A blended approach works: unhedged global equities plus mostly hedged bonds. Behavioural risks: Keep decisions steady Common pitfalls include chasing recent winners, selling after falls or holding too much cash after a downturn. Tactics to keep you on track include: automate contributions (regular monthly investing), which spreads entry points write down rules (what you will do if markets fall 10%, 20%, 30%) separate spending cash from investments so you do not sell at weak prices to fund short-term needs use portfolio “buckets” in retirement. Retirement planning: Sequence-of-returns risk and withdrawals If you are drawing an income from investments consider the following. Hold a cash buffer (for example, 12–24 months of planned withdrawals) to avoid forced sales during sharp market falls. Be flexible with withdrawals: Pausing inflation-indexing or trimming withdrawals after a poor market year can help portfolios last longer. Use tax bands efficiently: Consider the order of withdrawals (pension, ISA, general investment account) to make use of personal allowance, PSA, dividend allowance and the CGT annual exempt amount. Take care around the MPAA if you are still contributing to pensions after accessing them. Putting it together: A repeatable checklist Confirm goals and time horizons. Check emergency cash (3-6 months). Map your target asset allocation. Use wrappers first: Fill ISAs and workplace/personal pensions as appropriate. Keep costs low: Prefer broad index funds/ETFs. Set rebalancing rules: Annual review + thresholds. Document tax items: Monitor dividend/CGT use; note 60-day property CGT rule; plan for 31 January/31 July self assessment dates if relevant. Review protection limits: Spread larger cash balances across institutions in line with FSCS; note proposed changes for late 2025. Schedule an annual review to update assumptions for interest rates, inflation and any rule changes. Get in touch if: you are unsure how to set or maintain an asset allocation you plan to draw income and want to coordinate wrappers and tax bands you expect large one-off gains or dividends and want to plan disposals or contributions you have concentrated positions (employer shares, single funds) and want to reduce single-asset risk tax-efficiently you are considering more complex investments. Wrapping up Risk management is not a one-off task but an ongoing discipline. By defining clear objectives, spreading investments across regions and asset classes, using ISAs and pensions to shelter returns, and reviewing allocations at least annually, you create a framework that limits surprises and keeps decisions rational. Document key dates – self assessment payments on 31 January and 31 July, the 60-day CGT rule for property, and the annual ISA reset on 6 April – so tax never forces a sale at the wrong time. Check deposit limits and platform safeguards for peace of mind, and keep a written record of your rebalancing rules to prevent knee-jerk trades. If life events or regulations change, revisit your plan promptly. A measured, systematic approach lets your portfolio work harder while you stay focused on the goals that matter most. Important information This guide is information only and does not account for your personal circumstances. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. The value of investments and income from them can fall as well as rise, and you may get back less than you invest. Tax rules can change and benefits depend on individual circumstances. If you need personalised advice, please contact a regulated financial adviser. If you’d like advice on managing your portfolio, get in touch.