Significant events deserve significant financial attention, because let’s face it, life rarely follows a straight path.
From joyful milestones like getting married or buying a first home, to more challenging moments like redundancy or the loss of a loved one, each twist and turn brings financial implications, and with them, opportunities for better planning.
At Willow Tree Financial Services, we believe that tax planning should never be a once-a-year task or something left for ‘later’. In reality, the best time to consider your tax position is when your life changes, because that’s when the decisions matter most.
Why tax planning shouldn’t be saved for the tax year-end
It might feel like we’ve only just put the last tax year behind us, but tax planning is not just about scrambling before the April deadline. It’s about making the most of every life event.
According to a recent report from HSBC Life, two out of five advisers don’t routinely explain the benefits of tax efficiency to clients, despite many clients being higher or additional rate taxpayers. This is a missed opportunity, and a reminder that tax conversations need to be an essential part of life planning, not an afterthought.
When your circumstances change, your finances often do too — and that's exactly when good planning has the biggest impact.
What life events trigger tax planning opportunities?
Here are some of the most common milestones where a tax review can help you save money, reduce future risk, and strengthen your long-term financial plan:
🏡 Buying a Home or Moving House
- Mortgage interest, stamp duty, and affordability all shift
- Ideal time to review income protection, life cover, and your Will
- For joint purchases, how you legally own the property can affect tax implications
💍 Marriage or Civil Partnership
- Eligibility for Marriage Allowance
- Changes to inheritance tax planning and spousal exemptions
- Opportunity to review Wills, beneficiaries, and insurance policies
👶 Starting or Growing a Family
- Update nominations on pensions or life insurance
- Open a Junior ISA or plan education funding
- Revisit your budget and check your Child Benefit entitlement to avoid the High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge
🧾 Receiving an Inheritance
- Understand how IHT or capital gains tax may apply
- Explore options like trusts, Business Relief-qualifying investments, or gifting strategies
- Time-sensitive decisions, especially when assets are gifted with conditions (e.g. PETs)
🧓 Supporting Elderly Parents
- Review their estate planning to ensure their wishes are achievable
- Explore options to reduce inheritance tax, including Business Relief investments (which can qualify after 2 years instead of 7)
- Help manage their income and savings in a tax-efficient way, particularly after health scares or diagnoses
🏖️ Retirement or Reducing Hours
- Plan how and when to take your tax-free pension lump sum
- Use tax wrappers like ISAs and SIPPs wisely to supplement income
- Model your retirement income so it lasts and minimises higher rate tax exposure
Tax isn’t just numbers - it’s real life
Tax planning is often overlooked because it’s seen as dry or complicated. But in reality, tax impacts nearly every financial decision you make, especially when life changes.
Whether it’s helping your child buy a home, downsizing, or receiving a windfall, each event ripples into your wider financial world. A good adviser helps spot those ripple effects early and makes sure they don’t catch you off guard.
With fiscal drag (frozen thresholds and rising wages pushing more people into higher tax brackets), tax planning is becoming even more essential — not just for high earners, but for anyone who wants their money to work harder.
Why advice makes the difference
Let’s be honest, most people aren’t diving into tax legislation in their spare time. And they shouldn’t have to. A financial adviser can:
✅ Explain what’s changing in your life and how it affects your tax
✅ Use planning tools to model the future
✅ Maximise your use of allowances across pensions, ISAs, CGT, IHT and more
✅ Help you make decisions today that benefit you long-term
Let life guide your planning, not just the calendar
Significant events need significant planning. Whether it's a new chapter or an unexpected curveball, life events offer the perfect opportunity to pause, reflect, and fine-tune your financial plan.
At Willow Tree Financial Services, we take a whole-life approach to advice, which means we look beyond your current situation to understand what really matters to you. Tax isn’t the goal, but it’s an essential part of how we get there.
Let’s turn your next life event into a financial opportunity.
Book a discovery call today at www.willowtree-fs.co.uk/contact
Or call us on 01323 436680
Because when life changes, your plan should too.
Tax treatment varies according to individual circumstances and may change in the future. The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax advice, estate planning, or trusts. Always seek professional advice before making tax-related decisions.
