Book excerpt: Inheritance tax, once almost exclusively a tax on the wealthy, is now affecting more and more people in the UK as a result of the exponential rise in property prices. Home-owning families are becoming increasingly concerned about the implications of the tax - in particular when it comes to passing on their property to other family members. Practically written, this book provides guidance and strategies for homeowners to enable them to understand how the tax might affect them and what they can do to minimise liability and reduce stress. It covers a range of issues including: understanding tax loopholes and what they really mean; giving away property while still alive; strategies for married couples, civil marriage partnerships, and joint ownership; trusts and other options and choices.