Chesnara Life (UK) Ltd is expanding its support for advisers as demand grows for estate planning solutions.
It has enhanced its comprehensive Estate Planning Manual and adapted adviser support services to reflect the growing complexity in supporting clients with estate planning solutions.
Tax changes from April 2026 mean qualifying agricultural property relief and business relief assets benefit from 100% relief up to £2.5 million per individual, with relief reduced to 50% above that threshold, resulting in potential IHT charges, according to HMRC.
More significantly, most unused pension funds and death benefits will be included in estates from April 2027, increasing the challenges facing advisers.
Chesnara Life’s adviser support includes an IHT calculator as well as estate planning solutions such as onshore investment bonds, a range of trusts and other detailed resources covering key issues including lifetime trusts, life assurance, wills and estate planning.
Mark Lambert, Head of Onshore Bond Distribution, Chesnara Life (UK) Ltd, said: “Estate planning is rapidly moving up the agenda for advisers, highlighting the need for providers to expand the adviser support they offer. It is becoming more complex with reforms detailed above coming into effect this April, while advisers are preparing for the expected inclusion of unused pension funds in estates from April 2027.
Our new Estate Planning Manual and expanded range of resources for advisers are designed to ensure they have easy access to the support they need, including solutions such as onshore investment bonds and trusts.”
Onshore bonds offer zero tax on cash dividends at a policyholder level, while non-dividend income is taxed at 20%. Capital gains realised within the Bond are subject to UK life fund taxation.
This “fund level” taxation treatment of income and capital gains results in a full basic rate income tax credit being available to the investor when a chargeable event arises. This, in effect, means that the policyholder is treated as having already paid basic rate income tax on these gains. Top slicing relief and 5% p.a. tax deferred rules on withdrawals remain. Lifetime transfers by way of assignment without consideration are not taxable events.
For more information, view Chesnara Life’s Estate Planning Manual
