There are many possible variations on planning strategies using trusts and family investment companies. In certain situations, clients might use both, but they need to be mindful of the costs involved in using a corporate solution. A family investment company is less likely to be used for non HNW clients, but a discretionary trust can work well for, relatively speaking, more modest sums within discretionary trust NRB limits where lifetime tax, 10th anniversary charges and exit charges can legitimately be avoided. Finally, remember that a client who has made no previous CLTs can gift £325,000 (£650,000 for a couple) into a discretionary trust and then repeat the exercise 7 years later without incurring lifetime IHT.