Hi, I am not sure if i should be posting this here or in the banking section. My question is as follows. My mother wants to leave some money to my nieces (both in their twenties). As her finances stand at the moment, that amount would be over the €30,000 taxfree threshold for each of them. One way to avoid paying inheritance tax on some of this money would be to utilise the €3000 per year which can be gifted without incurring tax. However, my mother feels that if they are given money in this way they are more likely to "squander" annual amounts of €3000 whereas if they inherit a larger lumpsum when she dies they might be more inclined to use it productively towards something like a deposit on a house for example. Therefore, she doesn't really want them to know about the €3,000 a year. Is it possible for her to open a savings account (bank, post office or credit union) for each of them without their knowledge to be used purely for lodging €3,000 per annum? (i suspect not with all the fraud/money laundering hoops that have to be jumped and forms that have to be filled). If this is not possible can anybody see any other solution? I had even thought of prize bonds but from memory i think even if they are a gift, the person whose name they are going to be in has to sign the application form!