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"Reasonable" mourners expenses

ferger
Posts: 85 Forumite

Hi chaps
The guidance noes for the IHT400 say:
"You may deduct funeral costs and reasonable mourning expenses.
• refreshments provided for the mourners after the service"
Anyone know what view HMRC take of reasonable? My Dad's funeral had 100+ attendees and we ran up a bill at the wake - food and bar - of about £1300. If this is acceptable, fine - but I don't want to invite an argument about it.
The guidance noes for the IHT400 say:
"You may deduct funeral costs and reasonable mourning expenses.
• refreshments provided for the mourners after the service"
Anyone know what view HMRC take of reasonable? My Dad's funeral had 100+ attendees and we ran up a bill at the wake - food and bar - of about £1300. If this is acceptable, fine - but I don't want to invite an argument about it.
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Comments
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I think they do not specify a specific limit, as everyone would probably then claim that limit. Providing you have a receipt from the venue, I would just put that cost in, if the amount is queried than you have the paperwork to back it up and £13 a head does not seen unreasonable to me.0
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Yes, that's what I thought. OK, that's what I'll do - if they want to see receipts, they can have them!0
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Hi chaps
The guidance noes for the IHT400 say:
"You may deduct funeral costs and reasonable mourning expenses.
• refreshments provided for the mourners after the service"
Anyone know what view HMRC take of reasonable? My Dad's funeral had 100+ attendees and we ran up a bill at the wake - food and bar - of about £1300. If this is acceptable, fine - but I don't want to invite an argument about it.0 -
Get the bill made out to 'The Executors of the Late ??????' and it should be OK
SamI'm a retired IFA who specialised for many years in Inheritance Tax, Wills and Trusts. I cannot offer advice now, but my comments here and on Legal Beagles as Sam101 are just meant to be helpful. Do ask questions from the Members who are here to help.0 -
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There is also an element of the costs being appropriate for the estate, so that it all ties in together.
An example I heard of was of the funeral flowers for a Lady X costing about £6000 - it was more like £300 for my Mum's! I rather suspect the catering for the titled lady's funeral was in the several £000's also - but affordable and appropriate in her circumstances, taking the mickey for the average person.0 -
troubleinparadise wrote: »There is also an element of the costs being appropriate for the estate, so that it all ties in together.
An example I heard of was of the funeral flowers for a Lady X costing about £6000 - it was more like £300 for my Mum's! I rather suspect the catering for the titled lady's funeral was in the several £000's also - but affordable and appropriate in her circumstances, taking the mickey for the average person.0 -
Well, the guidance notes for the IHT400 quite specifically reference as allowable:
"refreshments provided for the mourners after the service"
So it's hard to see that only costs directly attributable to the funeral itself will be entertained.
And the estate is over the IHT threshold, so it does matter!0 -
Well, the guidance notes for the IHT400 quite specifically reference as allowable:
"refreshments provided for the mourners after the service"
So it's hard to see that only costs directly attributable to the funeral itself will be entertained.
And the estate is over the IHT threshold, so it does matter!0 -
Maybe our understanding of the word wake is the problem? I take a wake to mean mourning prior to burial so not allowable?0
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