Bereavement
This section looks at tax-related duties you may have to perform as an executor or personal representative, as well as the various tax and benefits consequences that can arise on death. This includes the knock-on effects of the death on you or other dependants.
Unfortunately, neither death nor taxes can be avoided forever. If you are lucky, your tax affairs will often fall into a regular and understandable pattern for long periods throughout your life. But then a life event happens which throws your tax world into confusion or means you have to make decisions, often without adequate information.
Death is one of those life events – it not only has to be dealt with in tax terms for the person who has died, but the effects of that death can significantly change the lives of others.
What information and help can I find in this section?
We provide information to assist you if you find that you have to act as an executor or personal representative. We also aim to help you understand the tax position for someone who has died and their survivors.
In particular:
- How do I notify a death?
- What if I am an executor or personal representative?
- What if I am a beneficiary?
- Death of a spouse or civil partner
- Tax and writing a will
- What is inheritance tax?
- How do I assess an estate for inheritance tax purposes?
- How do I work out the inheritance tax due on an estate?
- What is the nil rate band?
- How is an estate taxed during administration?
- What is the effect of death on state benefits and credits?
You may also want to read our short Tax at Bereavement factsheet:
For information on the scope of our guidance, please see About us.
