You have worked hard your whole life to accomplish your goals and provide for your family. Unfortunately much of your hard work can come undone if you fail to plan for life’s final inevitability. Many people prefer not to focus on their own mortality while others simply do not believe that they are wealthy enough to have to worry about estate and inheritance taxes.

Fortunately there are some simple estate planning strategies that can help make sure that what you have spent a lifetime building and saving will not be lost over night.

1. Prepare a will
2. Make use of annual inheritance tax gift allowances
3. Consider placing assets into a spouses name
4. Review retirement plans an review beneficiary nominations
5. Place life insurance plans in to trust
6. Know what you have and where you have it

And most importantly, meet with your financial adviser and solicitor to develop an effective estate planning route.