Time to Act: Inheritance Rules Changing
From April 2027, a major change to inheritance tax rules will mean that many unused pensions are included in the value of an estate for the first time.
Combined with frozen inheritance tax thresholds and rising property values, this change could significantly increase the number of families affected - particularly those with valuable homes, healthy pension pots, or both.
With just over a year to go, this is a crucial window to understand your position and, where appropriate, take action.
Why acting now matters
Although the rules don’t change until 2027, the decisions you make over the next 12 months can have a lasting impact.
Early planning allows time to:
Review assets, pensions, and allowances together
Understand how close you may be to inheritance tax thresholds
Explore options such as gifting, pension restructuring, withdrawals, or charitable planning
Update Wills, pension nominations, and wider estate planning
Waiting until the rules change may limit your options.
Explore the guidance
If you’d like to start by reading or watching to find out more in your own time, we’ve created a series of articles and videos covering:
How the pension and inheritance tax rules are changing
How to work out whether you may be affected
Common misconceptions about inheritance tax and pensions
Why early planning matters - and what to do next
Join us at a seminar
If you prefer to join us, we’re hosting three free in-person events in March, designed to explain the changes clearly and help you understand what they may mean for you.
Tuesday 17th March - Thornbury
Wednesday 18th March - Henleaze
Wednesday 24th March - Stoke Bishop
Led by an expert, independent financial adviser, these sessions will provide a jargon-free explanation about what’s happening and practical advice around what action you could take.
There will be plenty of time for you to ask questions too. Book early to secure your place - these free seminars tend to get full quickly!
If you have any questions about the events, please don’t hesitate to contact us: 0117 3636 212 / community@haroldstephens.co.uk