Another tax planning strategy that is still available despite rumours that it would be closed in the Budget was the CGT hold over relief when assets are transferred into or out of a trust.
This relief currently enables a non-business asset, such as an investment property, to be transferred without paying CGT. The relief applies where the transfer is subject to inheritance tax, but where the value transferred is no more than the £325,000 IHT nil rate band the transfer of the asset can take place without IHT or CGT being payable.
For example, Colin, a higher rate taxpayer, wants to gift his adult daughter Liz an investment property worth £300,000.
The property cost him £100,000 a number of years ago. If he were to transfer the property to Liz directly there could be up to £56,000 CGT payable on the £200,000 gain.
If the property is transferred to a trust for the benefit of Liz then the transaction would be immediately chargeable to IHT but covered by the £325,000 nil rate band. The resulting gain could then be held over so that no CGT is payable.
At a later date the property could be transferred from the trustees to Liz providing another opportunity to hold over the capital gain.
If this strategy may be of interest to you please get in touch. You will also need to instruct a competent trust lawyer to set up the trust.
