Section 3 — Inheritance Tax Act 1984: Transfers of value.

Transfers of value. 3 1 Subject to the following provisions of this Part of this Act, a transfer of value is a disposition made by a person (the transferor) as a result of which the value of his estate immediately after the disposition is less than it would be but for the disposition; and the amount by which it is less is the value transferred by the transfer.

2 For the purposes of subsection (1) above no account shall be taken of the value of excluded property which ceases to form part of a person’s estate as a result of a disposition.

3 Where the value of a person's estate is diminished, and the value—

a of another person's estate, or b of any settled property, other than settled property treated by section 49(1) below as property to which a person is beneficially entitled, is increased by the first-mentioned person’s omission to exercise a right, he shall be treated for the purposes of this section as having made a disposition at the time (or latest time) when he could have exercised the right, unless it is shown that the omission was not deliberate.

4 Except as otherwise provided, references in this Act to a transfer of value made, or made by any person, include references to events on the happening of which tax is chargeable as if a transfer of value had been made, or, as the case may be, had been made by that person; and “ transferor ” shall be construed accordingly.