By Michael Milner, Head of Platform Proposition, Wealthtime.

Junior ISAs Are Becoming an Increasingly Important Estate Planning Tool

More advisers are recognising the value of Junior ISAs (JISAs) as part of a broader inheritance tax (IHT) planning strategy. As inheritance tax receipts continue to rise and more families are drawn into the IHT net, advisers are increasingly looking for simple, tax-efficient ways to help clients pass wealth to future generations.

For grandparents in particular, a JISA can provide an effective route for gifting wealth while helping younger family members build a long-term investment habit.

Why JISAs Make Sense for Inheritance Tax Planning

While parents often use JISAs to save for their children’s future, grandparents frequently view them as a practical way to transfer wealth tax-efficiently.

Depending on how contributions are structured, payments into a JISA may fall within:

• The £3,000 annual gifting exemption
• The £250 small gifts exemption
• The normal expenditure out of income exemption

For those making regular contributions from surplus income that do not impact their standard of living, gifts may leave the estate immediately rather than being treated as potentially exempt transfers that remain within the estate for seven years.

With the nil-rate band remaining frozen at £325,000 and the residence nil-rate band fixed at £175,000 until April 2030, more families are being affected by inheritance tax each year. Against this backdrop, the £9,000 annual JISA allowance per child provides advisers with a clear and repeatable planning opportunity across multiple grandchildren.

JISAs vs Bare Trusts: Simplicity Matters

Although bare trusts remain a viable gifting solution, they can introduce additional complexity.

A bare trust can hold larger sums without annual contribution limits, but income and gains are taxed as the child’s own. Over many years of investment growth, this can create potential tax considerations.

By contrast, investments held within a JISA benefit from a fully tax-free wrapper. Gains and income remain free from tax, and when the child reaches 18, the account automatically converts into an adult ISA without any action required.

For clients and advisers seeking simplicity alongside tax efficiency, this can make JISAs an attractive option.

Why Adviser Interest in JISAs Is Growing

The growing importance of JISAs is reflected in adviser platform research.

According to data from the lang cat’s Analyser, JISA functionality rose 68 places in advisers’ platform feature rankings between June 2024 and June 2026, moving from 109th place to 41st. This significant shift suggests that JISAs are no longer viewed as a niche product but are becoming an established part of the estate planning conversation.

Creating the Next Generation of Investors

The value of a JISA extends beyond tax planning.

A JISA gives a child a visible investment that can grow over many years before they gain access to it at age 18. Watching investments develop through market cycles can help build financial awareness and confidence from an early age.

For many young adults, their JISA will be their first experience of long-term investing. This early exposure can create healthier saving and investing behaviours that last throughout their lives.

In that sense, a JISA is more than a tax-efficient wrapper. It can help create the next generation of investors.

A Powerful Multi-Generational Planning Opportunity

JISAs also create valuable touchpoints between multiple generations.

A typical arrangement may involve:

• A grandparent providing the funding
• A parent overseeing the account
• A child ultimately benefiting from the investment

For advisers, this presents a unique opportunity to build lasting relationships across families. A JISA opened for a child today could form part of a client relationship that lasts for decades. 

However, maximising this opportunity requires a proactive engagement strategy. As children approach age 18, advisers can support them through educational content, review discussions and pathways into adult ISA investing.

JISAs Are Becoming a Core Part of Financial Planning

As inheritance tax considerations increase and advisers focus on long-term client relationships, JISAs are earning their place as a valuable planning tool.

They can help families transfer wealth efficiently, support financial education and create meaningful connections across generations. With the right approach, today’s JISA holders could become tomorrow’s advised clients.

Discover Wealthtime’s JISA Offering

At Wealthtime, we believe we’re more than a platform. We’re a partner to advisers, working alongside firms to help deliver better outcomes for clients and build stronger, long-term relationships across generations.

Our JISA proposition can help advisers incorporate tax-efficient gifting, intergenerational wealth planning and future client development into a wider advice strategy.

You can find out more about Wealthtime and explore our range of wrappers here:

If you’d like to learn more about how Wealthtime’s Junior ISA offering can support your clients and help grow your business, contact our team today. We’d be delighted to discuss how we can partner with you to deliver the best outcomes for your clients now and in the future.

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Wealthtime is an award-winning investment platform that helps advisers deliver the best outcomes for their clients, bringing together smart technology and expert support.  If you’d like to learn more about our platform or explore how we can support your business, get in touch with our team today.