Inheritance
Tax Planning
Protect what you have built and pass it on efficiently. Proactive planning that reduces your IHT exposure and gives your family financial certainty.
Plan early.
Pass on more.
Inheritance tax is one of the most avoidable bills your estate will face — but only if you plan ahead. Too many business owners leave it too late, missing the reliefs and exemptions that could significantly reduce what HMRC takes.
At Runway, we look at your business assets, personal wealth, and family situation together. We map out your exposure, identify the reliefs available to you, and build a plan that protects your estate without disrupting how your business operates day to day.
Founder-led IHT advice — business and personal, together
Business Property Relief can shelter qualifying business assets from IHT entirely — but only with the right structure in place.
Every angle.
Covered.
Business Property Relief
Structure your business assets to qualify for up to 100% BPR relief
Nil-Rate Band Planning
Maximise the standard and residence nil-rate bands available to your estate
Gifting Strategies
Annual exemptions, PETs, and gift-with-reservation rules — used correctly
Trust Planning
Where appropriate, using trusts to protect assets and manage future liability
Succession Planning
Align your business exit and estate planning so both work together seamlessly
Wills & LPA Coordination
We work alongside your solicitor to ensure your tax plan and legal documents align
Business and personal.
Joined up.
For most founders, business assets and personal wealth are deeply intertwined. That means IHT planning can't be done in isolation — it has to sit alongside your corporate structure, pension, and exit strategy.
Because every Runway client works directly with a co-founder, we can look at your full financial picture and make sure your IHT plan works in harmony with everything else — not against it.
40%
IHT Rate
100%
BPR Possible
7yr
Gift Taper
Plan now — the seven-year clock only starts when you act.
“Runway helped us understand exactly what our estate exposure was — and gave us a clear, practical plan to reduce it. The conversation was straightforward, not scary.”
Robert H.
Business Owner — Runway Client
Frequently asked questions
The standard nil-rate band is £325,000. The residence nil-rate band adds up to £175,000 where a main home passes to direct descendants, giving couples a combined potential threshold of £1 million. Estates above this are taxed at 40%.
BPR is a relief that can reduce the IHT value of qualifying business assets by 50% or 100%. It applies to shares in unquoted trading companies, sole trader businesses, and certain business assets — making it one of the most powerful tools available to business owners.
As early as possible. Many of the most effective strategies — such as making gifts or restructuring assets — require time to take effect. The seven-year rule for gifts means that acting sooner rather than later gives your estate the maximum benefit.
Good IHT planning is designed to work around your business, not disrupt it. Our goal is always to find approaches that reduce your exposure without affecting how you operate or restricting access to your assets.
For elements like wills, lasting powers of attorney, and trusts, yes — you need a solicitor. We work closely alongside your legal advisers to make sure the tax and legal planning are fully aligned.
Ready to take the
next step?
Book a free 30-minute call with a Runway co-founder. No pitch, just practical advice.