How to best invest for your child’s future July 23, 2013 Make sure you maximise tax-free saving for your newest addition THE Royal parents may have few financial woes, but the cost of raising a child for most extends far beyond nappies or baby food. The current average cost of a wedding is £18,244, the average first-time buyer deposit is £26,956, and student debt for 2013 [...]
We must build more homes to tackle bubble, not tax more June 11, 2013 IF you want to know why a wealth tax should not be adopted in Britain, look no further than France. Over 8,000 French households were hit by tax bills that topped 100 per cent of their income last year, Les Echos reported this weekend, citing finance ministry data. For these people, the only way to [...]
Thatcher changed the City forever but Big Bang isn’t the whole story June 3, 2013 THERE is a myth gaining traction that Margaret Thatcher’s deregulation of the City through the Big Bang in 1986 ultimately led to the crash of 2008. This is part of the reductionist approach of much of the left-leaning commentariat. The reasoning seems to go: something terrible happened in 2008; Thatcher was terrible; therefore the actions [...]
End universal benefits and cut tax to rebuild UK future March 15, 2013 THE pre-Budget period is often typified by a cacophony of measures, ranging from the incisive to the interesting to the idiotic. But a focus on individual measures can cause us to lose sight of more fundamental themes. As such, I want to talk about the “why” in the economic debate, not only the “how”. Our [...]
London is most expensive place for finance firms March 13, 2013 TAXES and fees are making London by far the most expensive location in the world to set up a financial firm, according to figures released this morning. Looking at rents alone, Hong Kong tops the table of world cities for locating a company in the financial sector, Savills said, but including the impact of fees [...]
How an Isa could earn you a million February 26, 2013 The route to tax-free prosperity is simple AS THE end of another tax year approaches, there is still time for investors to shelter up to £11,280 from taxation. But with most experts predicting cash Isas will undershoot inflation, it is surprising that, although close to half of the UK’s adult population holds an Isa, very [...]
Britain: a case study in low-growth economic mediocrity February 22, 2013 BRITAIN is stuck in a rut. No wonder that investors and credit rating agencies are losing patience: the coalition doesn’t have the guts or decisiveness needed to jolt the UK out of its present mediocrity, while the opposition is busy dreaming up new taxes, thinks that a slightly looser fiscal policy would transform our prospects [...]
How to make the most of your Isa February 21, 2013 It is much easier to transfer your account than you may think MANY consumers are aware of the benefits that come with an individual savings account (Isa). You won’t pay capital gains tax on your Isa investments, nor will you pay income tax on your Isa savings, and you don’t have to mention Isas on [...]
Letters to the Editor February 21, 2013 Reform for growth [Re: Time to take drastic action to reboot Britain’s feeble economy, yesterday] Cutting corporation tax and capital gains tax will undoubtedly increase the incentive for risk-taking and investment, both prerequisites for growth. But other fundamental problems will remain. First, government spending is currently unaffordable. The required money cannot be raised from taxation [...]
Time to take drastic action to reboot Britain’s feeble economy February 19, 2013 So what, exactly, could the chancellor do to boost growth? He is, of course, hamstrung by two conflicting realities: the fact that the budget deficit remains huge, and may even increase this year, as well as by the realities of coalition politics. But unless he changes course, and is willing to take a major risk, [...]