Funeral Costs Question.

[willpurry]

My father died last year. I am the sole executor and beneficiary in the will. My aunt happily paid for the funeral and does not wish to claim any money back from the estate. Do/can I therefore put a 'nil' figure for question 12.1, with perhaps a note of explanation in the box at question 13.?

To put it another way must you enter, and deduct from the estate value, funeral costs in every case? It just seems like it would be 'dodgy' to enter the funeral costs as an estate debt if the person who paid does not want them back.

[pqtaxation]

As your refer specifically to Q12.1 it is IHT205 form that your are completing and you expect no IHT to be payable.

Hence omit Q12.1 as no funeral expenses were paid by estate and, if you wish to do so, mention at Q13.1 that they were fully paid for by a third party.

More generally, reasonable funeral expenses are allowable expenses for IHT and so if not claimed additional IHT may be payable. In your case of no IHT payable, your aunt’s generosity in paying for the funeral is financially just tantamount to a gift to you as the sole beneficiary.