After 15 years of working alongside financial advisers in estate planning, one pattern comes up time and again. The technical side is rarely the real barrier – the challenge is getting clients to act.
On paper, the conversations are straightforward. Clients understand the issue, they know that as their estate grows, a portion could be lost to inheritance tax (IHT). They also know there are legitimate ways to plan to address this. And yet, very often, nothing happens.
That gap between understanding and action is where most estate planning falls down.
From the advisers I work with, the frustration is familiar. Good conversations are being had, and the need is clear, but momentum stalls. Not because the advice is wrong, but because the decision feels bigger than the numbers.
Often the hesitation from clients is about control. They want to be proactive and help their family, but at the same time they want to feel secure. These concerns, and the questions they raise are entirely rational:
- What if I need this money later?
- What if my circumstances change?
- What if I live longer than expected?
For many clients, estate planning can feel like being asked to make a permanent decision in an uncertain future. And as people live longer, that uncertainty only increases.
This is where I see even experienced advisers run into difficulty. The solutions being discussed may be technically sound, but if it feels irreversible, or overly complex, clients hesitate. Lifetime gifting is effective, but it involves giving capital away. Trusts can be powerful, but they can feel unfamiliar and heavy.
See also: HMRC publishes draft legislation for IHT on pension pots
So, the decision gets deferred. Then deferred again.
Meanwhile, in reality, the biggest risk for most families isn’t choosing the wrong strategy – it’s doing nothing at all.
That’s why effective estate planning isn’t just about knowing the rules. It’s about understanding behaviour. The most successful advisers I work with don’t just present options, they frame decisions in a way clients can actually move forward with
And that often comes down to one simple idea: can the client feel like they are taking action without losing control?
For some, that’s where Business Relief becomes a valuable part of the conversation.
Business Relief is a well-established part of the UK tax system – put simply, qualifying investments can become exempt from inheritance tax after two years, provided the relevant conditions are met.
But what makes it resonate in practice isn’t just the tax treatment, it’s how it feels to the client. It gives them a way to start planning for the next generation and take meaningful action, without feeling like they have deprived themselves of assets they may still need. Unlike gifting, they are not being asked to hand capital away permanently – they still own it, and if circumstances change, they can usually get it back. And compared to the seven-year horizon of gifting, the two-year timeframe feels achievable.
In many meetings I have been at part of with advisers and their clients, this is often the moment where things shift. Because for many clients, the real breakthrough is psychological. They can start doing something important for the people they love, while still feeling in control.
Of course, Business Relief is not a universal solution. Suitability, risk and individual circumstances always come first. But when a strategy aligns both technically and emotionally, it creates momentum.
And in my experience, once clients take that first step, everything else becomes easier. Conversations deepen, planning evolves, and advisers move from raising a problem to delivering a solution that genuinely sticks. This is often what good estate planning comes down to: helping clients make life-changing plans that don’t change their life.
Nick Bird is regional director at Triple Point
