How Pensions Work Currently
- Defined Benefit
- Defined Contribution
- SIPPs
- Lump Sums
- Drawdown
- Annuities
- Tax treatment for pension-holder
- Individuals
- Trusts
- IHT position
- Consequences of nominating, or not, and use of notes of wishes.
- What will pension scheme permit – e.g. will it allow drawdown?
- Accessing funds: lump sum, annuities or drawdown?
- Age of pension-holder at death
Changes to IHT Treatment and Implications
- PRs liable to pay tax 6 months after death
- Budget 2025 changes: 50% retention and discharge from liability for late pension discoveries
- PRs able to direct PSAs to withhold 50% of pension but only for 15-month period
- How will it work? Some do's and don’ts!
Practical Implications and What Clients Should Do
- Consolidate pension pots
- Consider their nominations
- Spending pension funds in preference to other assets
- Withdraw funds and make PETS
- Tax efficient use for recipients
- Exempt gifts from pension funds, IHTA 1984, s21
- Life policies written in trust
How the Changes Will Affect Legal Practices
- The major changes to probate practice needed
- Planning for the 6-month and 15-month deadlines
- Estates that are amended after 15 months
- The place of Clearance after the 2025 Budget changes and PRs ongoing obligations
- Effect on speed and cost of administrations
- Taking pension wealth and nominations into account when drafting wills/estate planning
- Overview of assets required
Financial Planning and Will Drafting
- Income tax and IHT charges combined on deaths of those 75 or over
- Enhanced role for annuities to cover spending and enable gifting
- Pensions and other savings and investment products compared
- What the changes mean to financial planning choices
- Pensions reverting to role of funding retirement
- Life Assurance to meet IHT and cover risks regarding gifts
- Spousal by-pass trusts revisited
- Dealing with investment bonds – issues for PRs and trustees
- Chargeable events
- Bonds continuing after death of first life assured
- Bonds held in trust
- Trusts nominated to receive pension benefits
- Tax issues
- Perpetuity problems
- Will Drafting
- NRB discretionary trusts

