It’s not just your car – your financial planning also needs to be taken to the dealer for a service from time to time. And every now and then, you’ll need to get a new one.
Financial planning
Financial planning provides insight into how a person’s income and assets develop over time. It answers questions such as: when can I stop working? But it can also take into account worst-case scenarios, such as becoming unemployed or unable to work. Furthermore, the consequences of changes in legislation and regulations or in economic conditions (such as, for example, the cuts to pension entitlements recently implemented by pension funds) can be quickly assessed using financial planning.
Tax planning
Naturally, financial planning forms the basis for tax planning. This involves questions such as: when should the annuity payments begin? How much can be gifted now to minimise inheritance tax, and what form should those gifts take?
Surprise
The fact that failing to review your financial planning on a regular basis can lead to unpleasant surprises was brought home to the interested party in a case in which the Court in The Hague decided last July. The father of this interested party was unmarried and had stipulated in his will that his estate would pass to his partner upon his death, unless he had any descendants at the time of his death.
That descendant was alive at the time of death. After all, that person was the interested party in the proceedings. The will was valid, but it meant that the partner was not recognised as an heir. The inheritance passed to the interested party under the rules of intestate succession. For inheritance tax purposes, this meant that the high exemption for partners could not be applied.
Bespoke
Financial planning is, of course, a bespoke process. It does not always have to be a voluminous document that can only be understood with a great deal of explanation. Often, a summary of a number of key figures is sufficient; these are largely derived from the income tax return, supplemented by some standard information.
Naturally, VWG’s accountants and tax advisers are happy to assist you in drawing up and maintaining your bespoke financial plan.