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BRICKS AND MORTAR Becoming a landlord has been an attractive proposition for anyone who could raise a deposit, thanks to a prolonged period of low borrowing costs and generally rising property values. The housing market, helped by the temporary cut to stamp duty, has performed much better than expected over the past year, with prices […]
State pensions and the National Living Wage both increased in April. April is the month when state benefits are uprated – unless they are subject to a freeze. It is also the month when the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) are increased. In 2021, many social security benefits rose by 0.5%, […]
A recent survey of people who have or plan to retire in 2021 provides interesting insights, whatever your intended retirement year. The average age of people planning to retire in 2021 is 60, according to a recently published survey by investment manager, Standard Life Aberdeen. That is six years before current state pension age, which […]
The role of Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) has changed since they were launched over 20 years ago, so are they still worth having? Since ISAs were introduced in April 1999 the ISA portfolio has been extended to include: Junior ISAs (for the under-18s). Help to Buy ISAs (no longer on sale). Innovative Finance ISAs (for […]
One of the last decade’s more infamous financial scandals has finally reached a conclusion. The name of London Capital & Finance Plc (LCF) sounds impressive, but the business behind it was anything but. In the late 2010s, LCF issued ‘mini-bonds’, raising capital from individual investors to lend on to small businesses. LCF offered rates of […]
Fraudsters are poised to target the British public with ticketing, travel and health insurance scams as consumers look to book in much-needed social activities as lockdown restrictions ease, warns UK Finance. The scam alert comes as the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign publishes guidance below on how consumers can protect themselves in the lead-up […]
The fund performance league tables have gained over 530 new funds since April. In the middle of April, the trade body of investment managers, the Investment Association, made a radical revamp to its fund sectors. As a result, many of the investment performance league tables have been changed subtly, even though the performance of the […]
PROTECTING WHAT MATTERS MOST Financial resilience is the ability to recover quickly from unexpected financial shocks. Many of us insure our homes and cars without really thinking about it, but far fewer insure their lives and incomes. And yet, if you were to die, how would those you leave behind be able to manage financially? […]
The freeze on the inheritance tax (IHT) nil rate band will mean more tax from more estates. In March 2006, then Chancellor, Gordon Brown, announced that the the inheritance tax (IHT) nil rate band for 2009/10 would be £325,000. Announcing the change (over three years before it would happen) was seen by some […]
A recent report showed that global dividend payments held up much better than those in the UK in 2020. For investors in UK shares and funds investing in UK companies, 2020 was a grim year when it came to dividends. The pandemic cast a long shadow over the pay outs to investors: Early on, the […]
The planned increase in corporation tax has changed some of the mathematics on incorporation. The Budget announced a significant change to corporation tax from 2023: Small companies, with profits of up to £50,000, would continue to pay the tax at the current rate of 19%, subject to adjustments for associated companies and financial […]
Three letters, ESG, have become a major driving force in investment decisions. ESG – environmental, social and governance – considerations are playing an ever-increasing role in investment decisions. What used to be classed as ethical investment, socially responsible investment (SRI) and green investment have now merged under the ESG banner. The table below gives a […]