How could the government reform ISAs? Personal Finance The Labour government confirmed plans to make changes to the ISA system at its recent Spring Statement, in a bid to promote a culture of retail investment in the UK. City figures have welcomed the prospect of ISA reforms, which appear likely to be introduced at the next fiscal statement in the Autumn. It remains [...]
Cash ISA: What are the alternatives? Personal Finance Rumours are growing over expected reforms to Cash ISAs, as the Treasury searches for ways to boost its coffers. Under the current ISA regime, savers can place up to £20,000 per tax year in a Cash ISA without paying any tax on the interest they earn. This threshold could be reduced to £4,000 under Labour’s [...]
How to maximise your pension before the end of the tax year Personal Finance As the end of the tax year approaches on April 5, savers have a few days to maximise their pension contributions tax allowance. Private pension contributions are tax-free up to a limit, under a regime that applies to workplace pensions, personal pensions (such as SIPPs) and overseas pension schemes that qualify for UK tax relief. [...]
Taxes might be going up. Here’s how to cut your tax bill March 10, 2025 Savers are preparing for the possibility of income tax increases, with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves expected to announce some changes to the tax regime in March. Labour pledged not to increase income tax during its election campaign. However, the Treasury has discussed freezing income tax thresholds and has refused to rule out income tax [...]
Why ISAs and pensions make a ‘perfect combination’ March 7, 2025 A key personal finance deadline is approaching. Savers with Individual Savings Accounts have until April 5 2025, to use their annual tax-free allowance, which shields up to £20,000 of savings in the 2024/25 tax year from tax on interest, capital gains or dividends linked to ISA investments. Last year, investment platform AJ Bell said that [...]
Should I get an Innovative Finance ISA? March 3, 2025 Innovative Finance ISAs offer retail investors an alternative to more conventional savings accounts, although some financial advisers are cautious about the risk that comes with these products. IFISAs are designed to include more long-term, less-liquid investments. These can include peer-to-peer loans, crowdfunded debt issued by companies, and bonds issued by charities. As with all ISAs, [...]
Should I invest for my child’s future with a Junior ISA? February 28, 2025 In a world of soaring costs, expensive university fees and eye-watering house prices, parents would do well to invest in their children before they enter adulthood. Parents surveyed by the Be Clever With Your Cash money site last year said that they were putting £750 a year for each of their children, while their kids [...]
Who is the Lifetime ISA for? February 28, 2025 Lifetime ISAs have been the focus of policymakers’ considerations as they consider how to reform and simplify the UK’s savings landscape. In January, the Treasury Committee called for evidence from industry on whether the Lifetime ISA remains fit for purpose nine years after its creation. It has asked how the product could be reformed or [...]
Shield your assets from inheritance tax with life insurance February 17, 2025 Inheritance tax entered the headlines last year when the Labour government used its first budget to announce measures designed to close loopholes and raise funds, prompting savers and advisers to reconsider their financial planning. The government’s proposals include plans to impose inheritance tax on unspent pensions from April 2027 and a pledge to reform the [...]
What do falling interest rates mean for my finances? February 14, 2025 The Bank of England trimmed interest rates to 4.5 percent in February, the first of what could be multiple cuts this year aimed at kickstarting the UK’s weak economic growth. This raises questions about what loosening monetary policy could mean for savers’ finances. The BoE now expects GDP growth “to be notably weaker in the near [...]
