When investing, it is important to consider the option of legacy, and how this can be integrated into investment strategies. In this article, we will explore the benefits of legacy in investing.
In an era where the repercussions of financial decisions extend far beyond immediate returns, the concept of legacy has become an essential consideration for investors.
A legacy encompasses the long-term impact of an investment on society, the environment, and future generations. By focusing on legacy, investors can align their portfolios with broader ethical, social, and environmental values, ensuring that their financial decisions contribute positively to the world. This approach not only satisfies a growing demand for responsible investing but also offers long-term financial returns. Here, we explore the importance of considering legacy when investing and how it can be integrated into investment strategies.
One of the primary reasons to consider legacy in investing is to align personal values with financial activities. Investors increasingly recognise that their portfolios should reflect their beliefs and commitments, such as supporting renewable energy, promoting social justice, or fostering economic development in underserved communities.
With this focus on legacy in mind, when financial advisers consider recommending Business Relief (BR) investments to their clients, it is crucial to look beyond immediate tax mitigation benefits and consider the broader legacy these investments can create. BR investments, like those offered through the Deepbridge Estate Planning Service and Deepbridge Protect, not only help investors reduce inheritance tax liabilities but can also contribute significantly to societal change. By focusing on this long-term legacy, advisers can guide their clients to make choices that are both financially prudent and aligned with their investors’ principles.
The dual benefit of Business Relief investments
Originally known as Business Property Relief, Business Relief has been a valuable tool for mitigating inheritance tax since its inception in 1976. The principle is straightforward: by investing in qualifying businesses, investors can reduce the value of their taxable estate, thereby lowering the inheritance tax burden for their beneficiaries. However, the true potential of BR investments extends beyond tax savings.
These investments can serve as a catalyst for positive change, promoting infrastructure development and addressing critical social needs.
The Deepbridge Estate Planning Service exemplifies how BR investments can support renewable energy initiatives. By investing in trading companies focused on renewable energy projects, such as wind turbines, hydropower, anaerobic digestion, and solar power, investors are not just securing tax benefits but also contributing to the UK’s transition to a greener economy. These projects rely on proven technologies, ensuring stable and predictable energy outputs, and often benefit from long-term price support mechanisms mandated by the UK Government, such as index-linked Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) or Feed-In Tariffs (FiTs).
The implications of such investments can be profound and include helping the UK Government achieve its climate goals, creating greater energy security, enhancing the UK’s power infrastructure, and enabling investors to create a genuine legacy of a cleaner energy economy.
Meanwhile, Deepbridge Protect represents a unique opportunity for corporate entities to potentially maintain their Business Relief qualification and protect their director’s estates from unnecessary inheritance tax. This Service focuses on lending short-term capital to social housing developers within the UK, enabling them to expedite the development of much-needed social housing projects. The short-term secured lending market, in which Deepbridge Protect operates, has seen significant growth and provides a crucial lifeline for developers who might struggle to secure longer-term financing from traditional high street banks.
The impact of these investments on social housing is substantial, helping alleviate homelessness and housing insecurity, improving public health outcomes, and encouraging community development.
Aligning financial goals with ethical considerations
For financial advisers, the ability to recommend BR investments that align with clients’ ethical and financial goals is a significant advantage. Modern investors are increasingly seeking opportunities that reflect their values, and BR investments like those offered by Deepbridge meet this demand by marrying financial prudence with positive social and environmental outcomes.
As public awareness and concern about issues such as climate change and social inequality continue to grow, advisers who can present investment opportunities that address these issues will likely gain a competitive edge. Demonstrating a commitment to ethical investing helps build trust and loyalty among clients and positions advisers as forward-thinking and socially responsible.
Conclusion: Building a legacy
In conclusion, financial advisers should consider the legacy their clients are creating when recommending BR investments. Products like the Deepbridge Estate Planning Service and Deepbridge Protect offer more than just inheritance tax mitigation; they provide an opportunity to support renewable energy initiatives and address the social housing crisis. By guiding clients towards these society-focused investments, advisers can help them leave a lasting, positive legacy while achieving their financial goals. This holistic approach to investing is not only beneficial for clients but also essential for building an equitable future.
Olivia Drinnan is Marketing Director at Deepbridge Capital
