Pentins Financial Planners Ltd

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Chartered Financial Planners in Canterbury, helping individuals, families, business owners and trustees with retirement, pensions, investments, trusts and estate planning - with clear, personal advice you can trust.

There are times when it makes sense to take a closer look. Inheritance tax planning is about getting clarity first, befo...
04/08/2026

There are times when it makes sense to take a closer look.

Inheritance tax planning is about getting clarity first, before deciding what action, if any, may be needed.

It may be time for an inheritance tax review if:

your home, savings or investments have grown significantly in value
you are thinking about gifting, but are unsure what is affordable or sensible
your pension now forms a larger part of your overall wealth than it used to

A good review is not about pushing you into action.

It is about helping you understand whether inheritance tax is likely to be an issue, what options may be available, and what might be worth prioritising first.

If that sounds useful, we would be happy to start with a complimentary initial conversation.

Book a complimentary initial conversation: https://calendly.com/dbarrett-pentinsfp/inheritance-tax-consultation?month=2026-07

In practice, it is rarely that straightforward. People sometimes assume that giving their home to their children is a si...
30/07/2026

In practice, it is rarely that straightforward.

People sometimes assume that giving their home to their children is a simple way to reduce inheritance tax.

If you give your home away but continue living in it, the gift may still be treated as part of your estate for inheritance tax purposes. This is often referred to as a gift with reservation of benefit.

For the gift to be effective, you would usually need to give up the benefit of the property. If you continue living there, this may involve paying a full market rent and ensuring the arrangement is structured properly.

There are also wider considerations. Giving away your home can leave you in a vulnerable position if circumstances change later on.

There may be other ways to use property as part of wider inheritance tax planning, but giving away your home while continuing to live in it is rarely a simple solution.

This is an area where it is worth slowing down, understanding the rules properly, and thinking about the wider consequences before taking action.

If you are unsure what may or may not make sense for you, we can start with a complimentary initial conversation.

Book a complimentary initial conversation: https://calendly.com/dbarrett-pentinsfp/inheritance-tax-consultation?month=2026-07

One inheritance tax misunderstanding comes up more often than people realise. Some people assume they can leave everythi...
21/07/2026

One inheritance tax misunderstanding comes up more often than people realise.

Some people assume they can leave everything to their partner free of inheritance tax, whatever their relationship status.

However, that is not always the case.

The spouse exemption generally only applies if you are married or in a civil partnership. If you are not, the inheritance tax position can be very different.

That detail can make a significant difference, especially for couples who have been together for many years but have never married or entered into a civil partnership.

This is why inheritance tax planning is not just about tax-saving ideas. It is also about understanding the rules that apply to your own family circumstances.

If you would like a clearer picture of where you stand, our online inheritance tax check-up is a sensible first step.

Take our online inheritance tax check-up: https://pentinsfp.co.uk/inheritance-tax-check-up/

For a long time, many people have not thought of their pension as part of the inheritance tax conversation. That is chan...
14/07/2026

For a long time, many people have not thought of their pension as part of the inheritance tax conversation.

That is changing.

From 6 April 2027, most unused pension funds and pension death benefits are expected to be included in your estate for inheritance tax purposes.

For some families, that could mean inheritance tax becomes relevant where it previously may not have been.

That does not mean everyone needs to panic or act straight away.

But it does mean this is a good time to understand what your estate may look like overall, how your pensions fit into that picture, and whether inheritance tax is something you may need to plan for.

If you want a straightforward starting point, our online inheritance tax check-up can help you get a clearer picture.

Take our online inheritance tax check-up: https://pentinsfp.co.uk/inheritance-tax-check-up/

How would your family actually pay it? When people think about inheritance tax planning, they often focus on reducing th...
09/07/2026

How would your family actually pay it?

When people think about inheritance tax planning, they often focus on reducing the tax bill.

But there is another important question:

Inheritance tax may need to be paid before an estate can be fully dealt with, which can create pressure at an already difficult time.

That is one reason life insurance can be useful in the right circumstances.

It does not reduce the inheritance tax itself, but it can provide funds to help cover the bill, which may give your family more flexibility and reduce the need for rushed decisions.

However, the policy should usually be written in trust. This helps ensure the policy proceeds are paid outside your estate, so they are not themselves subject to inheritance tax and can be available more quickly to your chosen beneficiaries.

The right type of cover, affordability of premiums and trust structure all need careful thought, so this should be considered as part of your wider financial planning.

We have written more about how this works in our blog: Smart Estate Planning: Using Life Insurance to Cover Inheritance Tax - https://pentinsfp.co.uk/smart-estate-planning/

Not every inheritance tax conversation needs to start with urgency. Sometimes, once you understand the numbers, the righ...
28/06/2026

Not every inheritance tax conversation needs to start with urgency.

Sometimes, once you understand the numbers, the right approach is simply to be aware of the issue, keep it under review, and plan proportionately over time.

That is especially true where people are in good health, have time on their side, or are still building a clear picture of what they may want to do.

Good inheritance tax planning is rarely about rushing into drastic decisions.

It is about understanding what may apply to you, what matters most to your family, and what sensible next steps are worth considering.

If you want a straightforward starting point, our online inheritance tax check-up is a useful first step.

Take the check-up here: https://pentinsfp.co.uk/inheritance-tax-check-up/

How trusts can help reduce inheritance tax and keep control in the family For some families, the challenge with inherita...
23/06/2026

How trusts can help reduce inheritance tax and keep control in the family

For some families, the challenge with inheritance tax planning is not understanding the tax.

It is feeling comfortable with giving assets away outright.

That is one reason trusts can be useful in the right circumstances.

Putting money into trust can help move wealth outside your estate for inheritance tax purposes, while still allowing a level of structure and control around how that money is used and who benefits from it.

For many people, that makes trusts appealing not just from a tax point of view, but from a family and wealth-protection point of view too.

Of course, trusts are not the right answer for everyone. They need careful thought, proper advice, and confidence that the money being placed into trust is genuinely surplus to your own needs.

If you would like to understand whether this kind of planning may be relevant to you, our complimentary inheritance tax review can help you explore the options clearly.

Book a complimentary inheritance tax review: https://calendly.com/dbarrett-pentinsfp/inheritance-tax-consultation?month=2026-06

When people think about inheritance tax planning, they often jump straight to big decisions. But some of the simplest op...
19/06/2026

When people think about inheritance tax planning, they often jump straight to big decisions.

But some of the simplest opportunities can come from the smaller gift exemptions that are available straight away.

These include things like:

the £3,000 annual gifting exemption
certain wedding or civil partnership gifts
the £250 small gifts exemption
and, in some cases, regular gifts made out of income

Used properly, these can be a simple and tax-efficient way to start passing on wealth without waiting seven years for the gift to fall outside your estate.

They are often overlooked, but over time they can make a meaningful difference.

As always, the important thing is making sure any gifting fits comfortably with your wider financial planning and what is affordable for you.

If you would like to understand which inheritance tax planning options may be relevant in your circumstances, our online inheritance tax check-up is a useful place to start.

Take our online inheritance tax check-up: https://pentinsfp.co.uk/inheritance-tax-check-up/

One of the best-known inheritance tax rules is also one of the most misunderstood: the seven-year rule. In simple terms,...
17/06/2026

One of the best-known inheritance tax rules is also one of the most misunderstood:

the seven-year rule.

In simple terms, if you give money away and live for seven years after making the gift, that gift will usually fall outside your estate for inheritance tax purposes.

That is why lifetime gifting can be an effective way to reduce inheritance tax over time.

But it is important to remember two things:

First, you need to be comfortable that the money is genuinely affordable to give away.

Second, gifting should usually be part of a wider plan, not a rushed decision made for tax reasons alone.

Good planning is about balancing tax efficiency with your own financial security.

If you want help understanding what may be realistic in your situation, our online inheritance tax check-up is a sensible place to begin.

Take our online inheritance tax check-up: https://pentinsfp.co.uk/inheritance-tax-check-up/

When people think about gifting, they often focus on one question: Will this reduce inheritance tax? But in practice, th...
09/06/2026

When people think about gifting, they often focus on one question:

Will this reduce inheritance tax?

But in practice, the bigger questions are often much more personal:

How much can we afford to give away?

Will we still feel financially secure later in life?

How do we keep things fair between children or grandchildren?

Are we comfortable giving money outright, or would we prefer more structure?

So yes, gifting can be a very useful inheritance tax planning tool.

But the right gifting strategy is rarely just about tax. It is about family, affordability, timing and peace of mind.

That is why these decisions are usually best made as part of a wider financial plan, rather than in isolation.

If you would like to get clearer on what may be sensible in your circumstances, you can start with our online inheritance tax check-up.

Take the check-up here: https://pentinsfp.co.uk/inheritance-tax-check-up/

Address

University Road
Canterbury
CT27FG

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441227931531

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