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Where Taxpayers and Advisers Meet

How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

dominoman
Posts:60
Joined:Fri Jan 15, 2016 6:41 pm
How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

Postby dominoman » Mon Aug 03, 2020 6:33 am

We submitted our IHT400 and other forms on 20th July. How long might HMRC take to reply? Does anyone have any recent experience of turnaround times?

The estate had a mix of listed and unlisted stocks and shares, plus partnerships, property etc - so probably falls into the complex bucket.

Our solicitor wasn't aware that you can now submit online so printed and sent everything (around 1000 pages as it included some company accounts) by hand.

AGoodman
Posts:1738
Joined:Fri May 16, 2014 3:47 pm

Re: How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

Postby AGoodman » Wed Aug 05, 2020 10:41 am

Reports suggest anywhere between a fortnight and 2-3 months. Unfortunately the probate registries (the next stage) are also very slow at the moment.

HMRC have also started sending the receipt direct to the probate registry so you may get a letter telling you that at some point.

Paper vs online does not necessarily make a difference (and online may not cover all the points you mention anyway).

HMRC won't reply properly with a calculation etc for up to 6 months, the timings above are for the receipt you need to get probate.

angel500
Posts:2
Joined:Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:16 pm

Re: How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

Postby angel500 » Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:40 pm

Mine took less than 2 months, but that was the end of last year. I recommend tracking the IHT 405 being sent direct to Probate as HMRC said it was sent but Probate (which was fortunately just walking distance from me) didn't get it. Took a bit of coordinating them both. I rang on my mobile and sat outside Probate office whilst HMRC re-emailed them, then Probate confirmed they got it finally.

Lee Young
Posts:2707
Joined:Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:26 pm
Contact:

Re: How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

Postby Lee Young » Sun Aug 09, 2020 11:52 am

Currentl two months minimum for HMRC to process the IHT400 and send on the IHT421, and then for the probate registry to issue the grant. Though even when they are issued, the grants (therefore not HMRC's fault!) are often wrong (three out of my last four have had to be corrected, and one of them twice!!)
Lee Young
Solicitor, Chartered Tax Adviser and Trust and Estate Practitioner


Partner, Frettens LLP
lyoung@frettens.co.uk
01202 491701

keihal
Posts:8
Joined:Mon Feb 22, 2016 11:30 am

Re: How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

Postby keihal » Sun Aug 16, 2020 4:14 pm


HMRC won't reply properly with a calculation etc for up to 6 months, the timings above are for the receipt you need to get probate.
I have recently submitted IHT400 and schedules and HMRC must have issued IHT421 as the Probate Registry issued a grant immediately when I applied for it.
I had to go through the IHT400 process because I needed transferable allowances although the estate value was significantly below the £950k available in the current tax year.
However, HMRC say (somewhere) that they won't look at the figures in the IHT400 before they issue the IHT421 (which seems daft to me), and I haven't had any communication from HMRC at all since sending the IHT400 etc. so will they contact me at some stage to say they agree with, or query, the account I submitted? I'm reluctant to distribute the estate until I have confirmation that HMRC have accepted the figures I supplied.

AnthonyR
Posts:322
Joined:Wed Feb 08, 2017 2:33 pm

Re: How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

Postby AnthonyR » Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:25 pm


HMRC won't reply properly with a calculation etc for up to 6 months, the timings above are for the receipt you need to get probate.
I have recently submitted IHT400 and schedules and HMRC must have issued IHT421 as the Probate Registry issued a grant immediately when I applied for it.
I had to go through the IHT400 process because I needed transferable allowances although the estate value was significantly below the £950k available in the current tax year.
However, HMRC say (somewhere) that they won't look at the figures in the IHT400 before they issue the IHT421 (which seems daft to me), and I haven't had any communication from HMRC at all since sending the IHT400 etc. so will they contact me at some stage to say they agree with, or query, the account I submitted? I'm reluctant to distribute the estate until I have confirmation that HMRC have accepted the figures I supplied.
You can apply for clearance from HMRC: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inheritance-tax-application-for-a-clearance-certificate-iht30

Equally you could get executors insurance to cover your potential liability.
Anthony Rogers LLB CTA TEP
Fusion Partners LLP
anthony@fusionpartners.co.uk

dominoman
Posts:60
Joined:Fri Jan 15, 2016 6:41 pm

Re: How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

Postby dominoman » Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:05 am

Well it took just under 2 months but HMRC have come back now and asked for payment of the IHT. They also said they will be doing their assessment and full calculations afterwards.

As I understand it we now need to pay the IHT and only after that is paid do we get probate?

If we pay this week, is there anything we need to follow up on to get probate form IHT421? Or will HMRC now do that? Do they send it to me, or direct to the probate registry. Any idea how long that stage takes?

williamramirez
Posts:1
Joined:Thu Aug 26, 2021 8:37 pm

Re: How long does HMRC take for IHT 400 these days?

Postby williamramirez » Thu Aug 26, 2021 8:39 pm

Well it took just under 2 months but HMRC have come back now and asked for payment of the IHT. They also said they will be doing their assessment and full calculations afterwards.

As I understand it we now need to pay the IHT and only after that is paid do we get probate?

If we pay this week, is there anything we need to follow up on to get probate form IHT421? Or will HMRC now do that? Do they send it to me, or direct to the probate registry. Any idea how long that stage takes?
Can you tell me if you managed to get an inheritance? I have the same situation. I want to send a letter tomorrow.


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