Telegraph Money 

The week's most important personal finance news, analysis and expert advice, from pensions and property to investment ideas and savings tips.

The Telegraph take

By Sophie Christie personal finance reporter

Thousands could be needlessly paying large inheritance tax (IHT) bills each year as a once widely used tax loophole has been all but forgotten.
Widowed spouses who remarry can use discretionary trusts to give themselves an additional IHT allowance. While a widow or widower who dies can pass on a basic 650,000 tax-free, one who has previously been widowed can pass on 975,000. Reporter Harry Brennan has done the maths here.
Passing on your assets as efficiently as possible is more than just a financial matter. Make sure you leave as much information as possible for your descendents – and, of course, write a will. One reader lost out on a 27,000 inheritance when a law firm failed to find him.
On a cheerier note: how can you make money while doing good? The latest podcast from Telegraph Money reporters Laura Miller and Sam Brodbeck explores how to be ethical with your investments while still cashing in. Listen here.

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Daniel Hewson said about abolishing stamp duty for older buyers: "Don’t reduce stamp duty, abolish it – ditto council tax – and replace them with a land value tax. It would significantly reduce land banking and discourage foreigners buying UK properties as investments."
Caroline MacIntosh said about this little-known inheritance tax trick that could let you pass on 975,000 tax free: "Inheritance tax is simply theft. I am in the middle of sorting out my parents’ estate and am quite literally paying tax on their monies that in some cases have already been taxed three times down the line at various stages throughout the years."
Simon Coulter said about a new insurance policy that could fix the 'loyalty penalty' problem: "Intertia is [a company's] weapon. Play them at their own game and always shop around."

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