What is form IHT400 and when do I need to fill it in?

Full answer

Form IHT400 is the main Inheritance Tax return used during the probate process for estates that do not qualify for the simplified "excepted estate" reporting route. **When IHT400 is required** You generally need to complete IHT400 (rather than simply reporting estate details as an excepted estate) when the estate's value exceeds the available Nil Rate Band and Residence Nil Rate Band thresholds and Inheritance Tax is likely to be due, when the estate includes assets held in trust, when foreign assets are involved, when claims are being made for reliefs such as Business Property Relief or Agricultural Property Relief, or when the estate is otherwise more complex than a straightforward small estate. **Excepted estates -- the simpler alternative** Many smaller and simpler estates -- broadly those below the Inheritance Tax thresholds, with no complicating factors -- qualify as "excepted estates" and can use a shorter reporting process without needing the full IHT400 form, since no Inheritance Tax is likely to be payable. **Supplementary pages** IHT400 comes with a series of supplementary schedules covering specific asset types and situations -- for example forms covering jointly owned assets, gifts made in the seven years before death, pensions, life insurance, agricultural or business property, and foreign assets. Only the schedules relevant to the specific estate need to be completed. **Deadlines** Inheritance Tax must generally be paid within six months of the end of the month in which the death occurred, or interest starts to accrue on the amount owed -- the IHT400 itself should be submitted alongside the probate application, and the tax due (or an estimate) is usually paid before probate (a Grant of Representation) is issued, since HMRC typically needs to confirm tax has been paid or arranged before the grant is released. **Getting help** Completing IHT400 accurately, particularly for estates involving trusts, business assets, or lifetime gifts, is complex -- many executors use a solicitor or professional probate service, especially where reliefs are being claimed or the estate value is close to the tax thresholds. **Practical tip** Use the Inheritance Tax calculator to get an early estimate of whether tax is likely to be due, which helps you and any professional adviser judge whether the full IHT400 process will be needed well before the formal deadline pressure builds.

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