Families Who Lost Loved Ones Must Check Tax Rule to Avoid Penalties

Families who have lost loved ones are being told to check an important tax rule. The UK tax office, HMRC, gave penalties of £3.1 million to 5,200 estates. This is because they did not file and pay taxes on time. It is a 35% increase from 2020-21 when 3,850 families were penalized with £1.8 million.

Experts are warning that missing one key requirement can be costly. Inheritance tax must be paid within six months of the person's death. The people handling the estate's process are responsible, but many families do not know about the timeline until they start dealing with probate.

Missing the deadline can lead to penalties and extra charges. This adds to the financial burden on relatives who are already dealing with complex paperwork.

Tax specialists say delays happen because executors are waiting for property valuations or are unaware of deadlines.

Inheritance tax is becoming a more sensitive issue as more estates are affected. Frozen tax limits and rising property values have pushed more families into the tax system.

Professionals are urging executors to gather information early and seek advice if they are unsure.

They warn that even genuine mistakes can result in extra costs while families are coping with a bereavement.

HMRC says it is not true that penalties will increase next year.

The tax office reduced reporting requirements for most non-taxpaying estates.

The Government is investing £52 million to simplify and digitalize the inheritance tax service to make it quicker and easier.

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