The more obvious individuals are your spouse / civil partner (who you may want to ensure has sufficient resources to continue to have the quality of life they had during your lifetime) and your children and grandchildren (whose future you may want to provide for). Gifts to spouses/civil partners are generally fully exempt for inheritance tax purposes. It is, however, possible to make a gift to anyone you wish. Clients also tend to leave gifts to nieces, nephews, friends, god-children in their wills. These gifts will not be subject to tax to the extent that they collectively fall within the deceased’s available nil rate band (currently set at £325,000). Gifts to English/UK based charities are fully exempt from inheritance tax (whereas this is not necessarily the case for gifts to foreign charities). There are further tax advantages in benefiting charities when you leave 10% or more of your estate to charities. You also may wish to give an individual cash or a specific item, which has a sentimental attachment to you or the recipient, and this could be included in your will.

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