The prime tax questions of 2024 answered by our knowledgeable HEATHER ROGERS

Heather Rogers, founder and owner of Aston Accountancy, is This is Money’s resident tax expert.

She has fielded questions about property doer-uppers, living in a vicarage, private school fees and child maintenance this year – find her answers to all these tax conundrums here.

Keep your tax questions coming, by scrolling down to find out Heather’s contact details. And read about three of her top columns from 2024 below.

Many people worry that a large inheritance will be a burden rather than a boon, when they learn they must hand over potentially gargantuan sums to the taxman before seeing a penny.

But Heather reassured this questioner that she can stop trying to persuade her generous ex to cut her out of his will.

It is common for beneficiaries to not have the ready cash to pay inheritance tax bills. 

You do not have to be rich already to receive a substantial inheritance, and you will not be beggared by the experience.

As Heather explains, there are a number of ways around the problem of paying inheritance tax within six months of a death, and before you can access the estate.

These include having banks make payments from the deceased’s accounts direct to HMRC, paying the bill in instalments, or taking out a loan using the estate assets as collateral.

Festive tax treats: Top columns of 2024 by Heather Rogers

A reader told Heather about this worrying situation, saying: ‘Our daughter has a controlling husband who has eyes set on her inheritance. 

‘We want to ringfence her share, whilst allowing our two sons immediate access to theirs.’

Heather laid out how to achieve this using a trust, but she urged this parent to talk to their daughter first – if this could be done safely – to forewarn her about the plan in case it left her in a vulnerable position when her husband found out.

Divorce and capital gains tax can be unfair on the departing spouse, but new rules arrived in April 2023 which make matters easier and less pressured, explained Heather.

Unfortunately, the questioner was caught out by the old rules.

Heather advised her to find a reputable accountant to check her large capital gains tax bill was correct, so she didn’t pay any more than necessary.

Finding good professional help can be daunting, so read Heather’s tips on hiring a decent accountant here.

Ask Heather Rogers a tax question

Tax expert Heather Rogers answers our readers’ questions

Heather Rogers, founder and owner of Aston Accountancy, is our tax columnist. She is ready to answer your questions on any tax topic – tax codes, inheritance tax, income tax, capital gains tax, and much more.

If you would like to ask Heather a question about tax, email her at [email protected].

Heather will do her best to reply to your message in a forthcoming monthly column, but she won’t be able to answer everyone or correspond privately with readers. Nothing in her replies constitutes regulated financial advice. Published questions are sometimes edited for brevity or other reasons.

Please include a daytime contact number with your message – this will be kept confidential and not used for marketing purposes.

If Heather is unable to answer your question, you can find out about getting help with tax here, including sources of free professional advice if you are elderly and/or on a low income.

You can also contact MoneyHelper, a Government-backed organisation which gives free assistance on financial matters to the public. Its number is 0800 011 3797.

Heather gives tips on how to find a good accountant here, including when to seek help, hiring the right type of firm and typical costs.