Advisers forecast inheritance tax advice boom

Nearly two out of five (38%) advisers saw an increase in demand from clients for advice on IHT planning in the past year.

Advisers anticipate the boom will continue as 60% expect demand to rise in the year ahead, with 19% stating they think it will increase significantly. More than one in 10 (11%) of the average adviser’s client base is actively seeking advice on IHT.

The top five reasons for the increase in those seeking advice on inheritance planning include greater awareness of the impact of IHT (56%), advisers proactively discussing it with their clients (47%), rising property prices (43%), pensions being more attractive as a way of passing on wealth (41%) and Covid-19 increasing interest in financial reviews (25%).

The average age people seek IHT advice from a professional is 62-years old - however a quarter (25%) of advisers have seen an increase in the number of families visiting them for advice in the last 12 months.

Mike Morrow, chief commercial officer at The Openwork Partnership, said: “Inheritance tax has so many different elements to it, it can often be overwhelming and difficult to know what the best options are for you.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged many to reassess their finances and ensure everything is as it should be. It’s good to see more people enlisting the help of a professional and parents bringing their family along to start the adviser process early."