Estate Risk Assessment
Twelve questions, three minutes. We produce a personalised UK estate-risk report — overall score, a breakdown across family, assets, tax and legal categories, every specific risk with an estimated financial impact, and a prioritised action plan you can print or email yourself.
You'll be asked about your will, family, property, business, overseas and digital assets, power of attorney, nominations and estate value. The report scores four risk categories 0–100, lists every specific risk with its consequence and financial impact, and gives you a prioritised plan plus the right ClearLegacy service for each gap.
Specific risks identified
Your prioritised action plan
Recommended ClearLegacy services
What the tool checks
Legal foundations — will, LPA, nominations
A valid, current will overrides intestacy and is the cornerstone of an estate plan. An LPA covers the equally common scenario of losing capacity before death. Nominations on pensions and life insurance pass outside the will — so a stale nomination can quietly redirect six-figure sums to the wrong person.
Family — marital status, children, partner
Under intestacy, cohabiting partners receive nothing and stepchildren receive nothing. The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 may grant a discretionary claim, but it's a court process — not a right. See the intestacy flowchart →
Assets — property type, business, overseas, digital
How property is held determines whether it passes by survivorship (joint tenants) or by your will / intestacy (tenants in common). Business assets need succession clauses and Business Property Relief planning. Overseas assets may need a separate local will. Digital assets — crypto, online businesses, monetised accounts — are routinely lost without an inventory and access plan.
Tax — IHT, RNRB, £2m taper
Above £325,000 (single) or potentially £1m (married couple, home to descendants), every £1 attracts 40% IHT. Estates over £2m lose the £175,000 Residence Nil-Rate Band at £1 per £2 above the threshold — costing up to £140,000 in extra IHT for couples. Use the IHT calculator →
What the tool does not check
The assessment is a directional risk indicator, not legal or tax advice. It doesn't model specific trust structures, Business or Agricultural Property Relief eligibility, non-UK domicile rules, gift-taper year-by-year detail, or contentious-probate risk (Inheritance Act 1975 claims). For estates above £1m or with significant complexity, please obtain professional advice.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the v2 assessment include?
- Twelve questions covering will status and age, marital and family structure, property type, business and overseas assets, digital assets, LPA, pension and life-insurance nominations, estate value and recent gifting. The output is a personalised report with overall score, four-category breakdown, specific risks, prioritised actions and an estimated financial impact where calculable.
- Is my data stored?
- No. The tool runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, nothing is stored, no sign-up. If you optionally use the "email me my report" button it opens your own email client — nothing passes through us.
- Can I print or download the report?
- Yes — the "Download / print report" button uses your browser's print dialog with a print-optimised layout. From there you can either print physically or choose "Save as PDF" as the destination.
- How accurate is the assessment?
- It applies current 2026/27 UK rules to your inputs. It is an educational tool, not legal or tax advice.
- Does the tool work for Scotland?
- Inheritance Tax findings apply UK-wide. Intestacy and family findings are calibrated to England & Wales (Scotland uses the Succession (Scotland) Act 1964). The directional risks remain valid for Scotland but the specific shares differ.
- What is the highest-impact single fix?
- For most users, writing a will. It overrides intestacy, names beneficiaries, appoints executors and guardians, and (with proper drafting) captures the £175,000 residence nil-rate band.
- How often should I reassess?
- After any major life event — marriage, divorce, birth, property purchase, business sale, inheritance, move abroad — and at minimum every 3-5 years.
- What do the category scores mean?
- Each of the four categories (Family, Assets, Tax, Legal) scores 0–100 based on risks identified in that domain. A high score in any one category warrants action even if the overall score is moderate.
Related tools and guides
- UK Inheritance Tax calculator
- Do I need a will? (tool)
- Probate timeline estimator
- UK intestacy flowchart
- IHT thresholds diagram
- Married vs unmarried partner rights
Administration of Estates Act 1925 · legislation.gov.uk
Wills Act 1837, s.18 (revocation by marriage) · legislation.gov.uk
HMRC — Inheritance Tax rates and thresholds · gov.uk/inheritance-tax
HMRC — Residence nil-rate band guidance · gov.uk/guidance/inheritance-tax-residence-nil-rate-band
Mental Capacity Act 2005 · legislation.gov.uk
Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 · legislation.gov.uk
Last reviewed: 31 May 2026 by SL. Risk assessment tool only — not legal or tax advice.