How Much Does an Inheritance Tax Advisor Cost?

The cost depends on the complexity of your estate and the type of professional you use. For a comprehensive IHT plan, advisers typically charge between 0.5% and 2% of the net estate value.

Solicitors charge either a flat fee or an hourly rate. Hourly rates in England typically run from £265 to £390 per hour plus VAT. Completing an IHT return for HMRC as part of probate can add £877 to £1,169 plus VAT on top of general probate fees.

Independent financial advisers (IFAs) usually charge an initial consultation fee, sometimes free, followed by an ongoing percentage of assets managed or a fixed project fee. For complex estates, setup costs can run into the thousands, but the IHT savings often far exceed those fees.

A basic will costs £200 to £500 at a solicitor, or £50 to £300 through a specialist will-writing service. A more complex will incorporating trusts or IHT planning will cost more.

Before paying for IHT planning advice, check that the adviser is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The way your adviser charges depends on the type of work and the size of your estate. For a straightforward estate worth under £500,000 with a single property and standard savings, expect a fixed fee of £1,500 to £3,000 for an IHT review and plan. Estates above £1 million involving business assets, multiple properties, or overseas holdings usually require ongoing adviser involvement, with annual management fees of 0.5% to 1% of assets under advice.

Solicitor guideline hourly rates updated in January 2026 range from £200 for a Grade C fee earner outside London to £579 for a Grade A solicitor in central London (Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, Guideline Hourly Rates 2026). Most inheritance work falls to Grade B or C practitioners outside central London, so realistic hourly rates sit between £200 and £327.

Some firms offer a “loss leader” initial consultation, sometimes free or capped at £250, to assess whether you need a full plan. This can be a sensible first step if you are unsure whether your estate even exceeds the IHT threshold.

Say you have a £700,000 estate and use only the standard nil-rate band. The IHT bill at 40% would be £150,000. That number puts the cost of advice into perspective.

HMRC collected £8.2 billion in inheritance tax in 2024/25, up 10% on the previous year (HMRC, March 2025). The nil-rate band has been frozen at £325,000 since 2009 and will remain frozen until at least April 2031, meaning more families are pulled into the IHT net each year as property values rise. Proper planning that secures the residence nil-rate band (£175,000) and uses legitimate gifting strategies could reduce or eliminate that liability entirely. Even paying £5,000 in adviser fees to save £150,000 delivers a 30:1 return.

The FCA requires that any adviser giving inheritance tax planning advice involving investments must be authorised and regulated. Always verify your adviser’s FCA registration number before proceeding.

Get written quotes from at least three firms. Ask each one to break down their fee into initial advice, implementation, and ongoing review costs. Some advisers bundle will-writing into the package; others charge separately.

Check qualifications beyond basic FCA authorisation. A STEP-qualified adviser (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) has specialist training in estate planning and trusts. Chartered Financial Planners have passed additional exams beyond the Level 4 minimum.

If your estate is below £650,000 (the combined nil-rate band for couples), a solicitor handling your will may be able to include basic IHT advice within a fixed will-writing fee of £500 to £1,500. You may not need a separate IHT specialist at all.