STOCKS AND SHARES ISA

ARCHITECT_OF_FAIR_PLAY

Hi, we have been involved in a contentious probate dispute for nearly three years now, and Hargreaves Lansdowne have asked me as the executor to decide whether I want to cash in the portfolio now ( as it has been 3 years since the since the policy holder passed) or let it run, but no longer benefit from the tax free status they normally present. Is it better to leave it where it is, and pay the tax, or transfer it to the solicitors account, where in fact it should attract some interest anyway. I know it's a difficult ask, but roughly how well should the portfolio perform on average, and roughly how much interest should the solicitor be paying on monies held by them in their client account..?

dunstonh

 Is it better to leave it where it is, and pay the tax, or transfer it to the solicitors account, where in fact it should attract some interest anyway.

What is best will depend on the beneficiaries and what their plans are.
And perhaps how much longer the estate will take to settle.

Sticking it in a solicitors client account will attract a paltry interest rate.   Leaving it invested will leave it subject to investment returns.

. I know it's a difficult ask, but roughly how well should the portfolio perform on average, and roughly how much interest should the solicitor be paying on monies held by them in their client account..?

HL, like all whole of market platforms, has over 30,000 investment options and a near infinite combination of options.   Without knowing the portfolio, we cannot comment on past performance, let alone potential future.

However, if we look at three levels of equities this is the sort of ballpark over the last 3 years
100% bonds -13.37%
50% bonds/50% equities +7.23%
100% equities +28.66%

Gilts (the main constituent under bonds) had their worst period in over 100 years, but that ended on October 23. So, like always, the last three are not a guide to the next three.   If you look at the last 7 years, then its pretty much a range of standing still at one end to doubling at the other.     

ARCHITECT_OF_FAIR_PLAY

Thank you for your response. There has been a tax liability on the portfolio every year since she died, so I presume it has been performing reasonably well and the estate is soon to be distributed (there is a court case in August to see if we can distribute the estate due to inactivity by the claimant). So, I guess we should probably leave it where it is at the moment and see how it goes. The portfolio value is just over 500,000....and with an end in sight it would be too much hassle to move it to the solicitors. I needed to ask because the solicitor has not been communicating very well with me (the executor) and still hasn't told me the interest rate we are being paid by the money they hold in their account, even though we asked them a couple of years ago...thanks again.