Joined‑up gifting and inheritance planning – a more collaborative way forward
I’m frequently being asked the following:
“How do I help my family now; how can I mitigate tax and pass money to the right people, at the right time and in the right way?”
The so‑called “Bank of Mum and Dad” is no longer a throwaway phrase. Rising property prices, the cost of living and changing tax rules mean that many families are now relying on gifts and early inheritance to support children and grandchildren – whether that’s help to get onto the property ladder, easing mortgage pressures or simply giving loved ones a better quality of life today.
At the same time, upcoming changes – particularly the inclusion of pensions within the inheritance tax framework from April 2027 – have understandably increased anxiety. I’m seeing people rush to “do something”, worried that if they don’t act quickly, they’ll miss an opportunity or face unnecessary tax later on.
And this is where caution is needed.
Gifting and inheritance planning should never be driven by fear. Done well, it can be incredibly powerful. Done poorly, it can create unintended consequences for your own security, for family relationships or for future tax outcomes.
The challenge many people face is this: gifting decisions don’t sit neatly in one box.
They involve financial planning, tax advice and legal structuring – often by different professionals, each with their own perspective, language and charging structure. Advice can overlap, diverge, or sometimes even contradict. Faced with this complexity, it’s no surprise that many people do the bare minimum and leave the rest untouched.
That’s not because they don’t care — it’s because it feels overwhelming.
A more collaborative approach
At Blue Sky, we’ve been working behind the scenes on a more joined-up way of helping clients navigate gifting and inheritance planning, with confidence.
We are very proud to introduce a brand service which brings together your financial planning, cashflow modelling, tax considerations and legal advice into one coordinated plan – with us managing the process and the professional conversations on your behalf.
Every client we work with already has a detailed cashflow forecast that shows what they want to achieve, and what they can afford now and in the future. With their authority, we share this insight with their solicitor and accountant (or trusted professionals we recommend), ensuring everyone is working from the same, accurate picture.
- The result is clarity.
- Decisions made with intention.
- And a plan that balances generosity with long‑term security.
Yes, there are additional fees involved for this work, but experience tells us that a well‑structured, coordinated approach is far more likely to protect wealth, reduce tax and avoid costly mistakes over time.
Talking of time, one new client commented, “this service is worth its weight just in the amount of time it saves, as it prevents us from second-guessing all the options and becoming so confused that we end up not doing anything at all”.
If you want to know more, please contact your Financial Planner at Blue Sky or email us at info@blueskyfp.co.uk.
Best wishes,
Gary
Gary Neild B.Sc.Hons. DipIP PFA
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Risk warning
Please Note: This communication should not be read as giving specific advice regarding your personal circumstances. This would only be given following detailed assessment of your individual needs. The value of investments may fall as well as rise; you may get back less than invested. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future returns.
