Matthew Hull

Unlike other tax-efficient investments, there is no limit on the amount you can invest in AIM-listed shares. The minimum account size for the O-IM AIM portfolio is £50,000 and we recommend top-ups to be a minimum of £10,000.

Stamp duty at a rate of 0.5% is not charged on AIM share purchases. This can further improve tax efficiency and returns for investors.

Investors can hold BR-qualifying AIM-listed shares in an ISA. So, alongside helping to mitigate an IHT liability, the portfolios can deliver ISA tax benefits. These include
tax-free dividends and no Capital Gains Tax on any investment returns. Additionally, if you have an existing ISA, you can transfer the current assets into the AIM portfolio.

The AIM market attracts companies that are growing, operating in new sectors, innovators in their industry, as well as established and profitable companies. This combination offers opportunities for strong investment returns over the medium to long term.

Trust planning can sometimes be complicated and often means relinquishing control of your assets. The same could be said about gifting assets. This can cause problems if personal or tax circumstances change. One of the benefits of the O-IM AIM Portfolio is that the assets are held in an account that you can access anytime and withdraw funds if necessary.

Traditional IHT solutions such as gifts or trusts require a seven-year period to benefit from full IHT relief. However, AIM shares that have been held for two years and qualify for BR, could benefit from up to 100% IHT relief if still held at the time of death.

Should the investment case for a company we hold in the portfolio change, we can sell that investment, and if the proceeds are reinvested into another qualifying AIM share within a reasonable time, you may retain the right to the BR. This means that your portfolio is actively managed and retains flexibility.