No Kids? Estate Planning Is Still Important

by Infinity

It is often when people have children that they stop putting estate planning at the bottom of their financial to do list and get themselves sorted with wills. There is nothing like having a child to make you aware of your own mortality! Nevertheless, even if you don’t have children you should not neglect this important task. It is common for childless individuals to believe that they don’t need to be concerned with this part of the financial planning process. We cannot state strongly enough that this is a fallacy.

We advise all of our clients, young and old, with families or flying solo, to take time to consider who they would like to inherit their assets when they pass away and to make this official by putting it in writing in the form of a will. There are a whole host of factors which need taking into account during the estate planning process. Here are some questions you need to think about:

Who do you want your assets to go to?

Dying intestate is never a good idea as it leaves a question mark over who will inherit your assets. If you have a spouse or direct descendants then your assets will most likely go to them but it is still unwise to make assumptions. Putting everything down in writing and taking into account the specific laws of the jurisdictions where you hold assets is the only fail-safe way to be sure that your heirs are who you want them to be. If you are not married or you don’t have children and grandchildren then things are even less clear cut. Here’s one example of how things can get complicated:

Imagine you are unmarried but have lived with a partner for decades and own a property together. If you die intestate your part of the house will go to your parents or siblings, potentially creating an inheritance tax liability for them. Your partner may be forced to sell to give them their value of the home which creates a difficult situation and insecurity at a difficult time.

It’s clear that planning ahead is key to protect your loved ones.

Can you minimise your inheritance tax (IHT) liability?

When an estate is over the relevant thresholds for IHT there can be hefty sums to pay. Obviously, different countries have different approaches in terms of thresholds and rates of IHT. In the UK, for example, any assets over ￡325,000 are taxed at 40% although there is now also a residence nil rate tax band of ￡150,000 in addition for those leaving a family home to children, grandchildren or step-children. This can make a huge difference, as witnessed in the example given by our investment management partner at this Wherever you have assets and whatever your situation, it is worth taking professional advice regarding IHT to see what steps you can take to mitigate it. Let’s face it, no-one wants their hard-earned cash going to the taxman.

Does it make sense to gift before you die?

Even if you have no children, you may have loved ones who you would like to gift to including godchildren, nieces and nephews. This should be taken into account in your estate planning and many people use gifting as a way to lower the value of their assets and mitigate IHT. In the UK, for example, the seven year rule states that anything you give away more than seven years before you die is not liable to IHT. This can be a useful tool in significantly reducing IHT but be careful about the amount you give away – more on this in the point below.

How do you strike the right balance between spending and saving?

When you are working, a financial planner can help you set goals and determine how much you need to save for retirement but they are equally important when you stop working. It’s a tricky balance to strike when you are living off your retirement savings. You want to make sure that you don’t run out of money but you also want to use your savings to enjoy life. Even if you don’t have dependents and are not bothered about having assets to leave behind, how can you ensure that your future financial needs are covered while making the most of what you have? A financial planner can help you to manage your investments and spending after retirement by looking at the assets you own, what you can afford to spend and what you need to set aside for the future.

Do you want to leave money to charity?

Frequently those without children leave significant sums to charity when they die. If you’d like to leave money to a cause close to your heart this should be stated in your will. In the UK IHT is reduced to 36% (from 40%) for charitable donations amounting to at least 10% of the net estate and there are significant benefits if you gift during your lifetime , reducing IHT burden taking into account the seven year rule etc. This requires careful planning and again, it’s advisable to do some cashflow modelling before making significant gifts to make sure you will not leave yourself short.

Have you planned for later life care?

It’s unwise to rely on state-funded care in your latter years. We’ve all heard the horror stories about funding cuts. In reality, there is no guarantee that you will be eligible for free care and even if you are, it’s always better to have choices about the care you need. A long-term financial plan needs to make provision for residential care, which is expensive (the average cost in the UK is over ￡40,000 per year). Prioritise your own long term care over anything else.

Who knows where your will is kept?

Of course there is no use having a will that nobody can find. Ensure that your nominated executors and beneficiaries know where it is. We have a useful document that you can?request to log all your important financial information to make life easy for the people you care about in the event of your death. As circumstances change, it’s a good idea to review this annually and make sure everything, including the beneficiaries in your will, is up-to-date.

If you’d like assistance with estate planning,?Infinity?has a wealth of experience in dealing with the additional complexities faced by expats.?Drop Alex a line to discuss your unique situation and put in place a plan to secure your financial future in retirement and protect your assets from the taxman when you’re gone.

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Evelyn Partners is an award-winning financial planning and investment company that builds on a heritage of more than 186 years. They have won numerous awards and their clients include private individuals, families, charities and professionals.

They presently look after more than GBP50 billion and 172,000+ clients.

At Evelyn, your personal wealth is their personal responsibility.

Evelyn's award-winning services are now available in Asia exclusively through Infinity, and can be applied to new and (probably) existing investments.

To learn more, drop Alex a line.

Get in touch with Alex here or at [email protected]

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