Yes, same for me when 50% of my "wealth" is locked up in a pension fund, being as it is/was practically the only tax free environment to grow money. Not so now, and I would dearly love to "gift" MY money to others, but with the measly sums one can share it would be impossible to dispose sufficient to get anywhere near the 1 million threshold. To make matters worse, anything greater than the gift limit means you still need to live for another seven years or else the "gifted" pays tax and at a swinging diminishing 40% rate! BTW, I can now see why they want a cashless society........ I've already decided to spend, spend, and at a rate I couldn't even have contemplated when I earned (good) money!
Already I can hear some who are saying a combined threshold before IHT of 1 million is for the rich, but a property down my way starts at well over half that and yet again this will be another stealth tax when already 5% pay IHT increasing to 9% at a stroke. Remember also the IHT tax threshold has been fixed since god knows how long and will remain so till 2030. All too soon more and more people will pay IHT in the same way when not so long ago they were paying income tax at 20% but are now paying it at 40%. Once upon a time the 40% rate meant you were doing reasonably well, but now more and are "forty percenters" and unable to do anything about it. Also, just think a moment, you paid 40% when earning, and you are also expected to pay 40% when you die and on that same money on which you already paid tax!
Having been through probate earlier this year, I truly feel for my children who will have to go through a far worse experience unless I can simplify my finances or as is far more likely I engage a firm and prime them for when the time comes. Yet again, this will come at a significant cost just to satisfy the government of the day that they have extracted every last penny from me in death. *****, even my funeral plans have now been upgraded having told my wife I want something spectacular and cost is not to be a factor!
Meanwhile, that money pit called the NHS swallows yet another 20 odd billion, the public sector gets awarded gigantic pay rises and that idiot Milliband is given an open cheque book! Frankly, and I don't care what anyone says, it's the same old Labour of yore, tax and spend, tax and spend, rinse repeat.
Put simply, and as I have often said, they (Labour) will not rest till they take the shirt off your back! As for me, it's time to get creative, any tips to share Steven?.