As a New Year arrives, so too do new challenges, opportunities and changes to keep in mind. Here is a guide to what to expect and other aspects to consider. Although the New Year doesn’t in and of itself provide a legal reset of our finances (we have to wait till the end of the …
HMRC data shows that 24,828 people brought in the new year by submitting their self-assessment tax returns on January 1st. 38,260 people submitted their returns on New Year’s Eve, with 310 filing their return just before midnight between 11pm and 11.59pm. The festive fun wasn’t confined to New Year celebrations. 4,409 people filed on Christmas …
Introduction A New Year gives us the chance to look forward. We can expect more change in 2025 for personal finances, with a new Labour budget laid out and a returning President in the US. 2024 was a year of speculation and political change across the world, with President Trump and the Labour Party the …
Blended families are formed when two people live together with children from previous relationships. They are increasingly common in the UK, and can work extremely well. However it is worth considering the estate planning implications. It is possible to accidentally leave family members without any inheritance due to a lack of planning or appropriate legal …
Labour’s new policy on inheritance tax means that more estates could pay inheritance tax (IHT) in future. Whilst there are plenty of legitimate ways to reduce an IHT liability, there’s one which we often forget despite it being very simple. That’s giving money to your loved ones. Although gifting is simple, and might be something …
Marriage might be an unlikely winner from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ controversial first budget. Whilst there have been no changes to inheritance tax allowances, more assets, most notably unspent pension funds on death, will be included in estates for inheritance tax purposes in future. This means that unmarried couples who might not have seen the value …
Introduction The US election provided another definitive moment in what has been a politically charged year. With many countries holding elections in 2024, analysts have been second guessing what markets will do for some time. Whether Trump is popular outside the US is debatable, but his election victory was convincing and markets have responded positively …
After all the noise and drama of the recent Budget, it is worth noting that the allowances and reliefs available for the core investment products that our clients use remain in place. ISA allowances and pension contributions remain intact. The dreaded Lifetime Allowance has not been resurrected, and rumours of the removal of pension tax-free …
The headlines will focus on the government’s decision to charge inheritance tax on any unused pension funds or death benefits. This is only part of the story, and there are a number of changes in the budget which makes a review of potential inheritance tax liabilities more important than ever. These measures are forecast to …
The Laffer Curve is a concept accredited to economist Dr. Arthur Laffer. Laffer admitted that whilst he gave it a name, it’s been around as an idea in one form or another since the 14th century, when Muslim philosopher Ibn Khaldun wrote about it. It was also referenced in John Maynard Keynes work. In simple …
