Soteria Article

UK wealth taxes explained

UK wealth taxes are taxes levied on the value of an individual’s assets. This includes property, savings, and investments. They are designed to prevent large concentrations of wealth from being passed down through generations, but also to fund public services such as healthcare and education. These taxes can be controversial because it can be difficult…
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Are UK property taxes high?

The United Kingdom is a country with many different types of taxes, most of which are high when compared to other countries. The ones that affect property owners the most are income tax, capital gains tax, and Stamp Duty Land Tax. A 2019 Tax Foundation report found that property taxes accounted for 12.4% of total…
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How to update your estate plan after a divorce

Life often throws us the unexpected, and they don’t come much bigger than the breakdown of a marital relationship. There’s no such thing as an easy divorce, even when things are reasonably amicable to start with. Once the lawyers get their teeth into it, things can get challenging, often emotional and almost always expensive. For…
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Rising UK property prices increase IHT bills

What happens if I don’t pay IHT?

The UK’s standard Inheritance Tax (IHT) rate is 40%. IHT must be paid by the executor on the net worth of the deceased person’s estate above the tax-free threshold of £325,000 per single person or £650,000 per couple. However, paying Inheritance tax is not always a straightforward matter, particularly if the amount due is more…
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Locating important documents when someone dies: How to find a Will

Locating the important documents of somebody who has just died is often a cause of additional stress and anxiety for family members. The first and most important of documents needed at this time is the Will, which specifies how the estate will be divided after the Testator’s death. Locating a Will and other important Estate…
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Estate Planning Checklist

Estate planning checklist

A complete estate plan not only takes into account your belongings and property but also your relatives and loved ones. By planning ahead, you can minimize future stress on those closest and help ensure your wishes are carried out. An estate planning checklist will remind you of the decisions you’ll need to make when implementing…
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Moving to the UK: Tax and Estate matters to consider

This article will explore and inform about how the UK tax system works for non-nationals looking to move to the UK to live and work or are eying to invest there. In particular, we will look into tax and estate planning for those considering emigrating to the United Kingdom and becoming UK residents, and any…
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When start saving for retirement

When should I start saving for retirement?

The answer is simple: start saving for retirement as soon as you can. Ideally, you’d start saving not long after you begin earning money. That’s because the sooner you begin saving, the more money you’ll have in your retirement fund and the more time your money has to grow. If your savings are invested, each…
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Private Pensions and IHT

Frozen IHT tax thresholds and soaring property prices put more and more families at risk of hefty IHT bills. In fact, in the tax year 2021/2022 HMRC collected £6.1 billion in death duties, which equals £700 million or 13% more IHT than in the previous year. This makes it even more important that you organise…
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Imagine Retirement Starts Tomorrow

If you were asked how much money you would need to keep the lifestyle that you enjoy for the next year, how would you reply? Let’s change that a little and now ask yourself if you were going to write yourself one cheque and the money that you gave yourself had to last you for…
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