Is it time to tidy up your finances this spring?
With spring in the air and the 2021/22 financial year just a month old, there’s no better time to take stock of your financial arrangements and see how they’re working for you. Of course, you can check your direct debits or standing orders and cancel any you no longer use. You can switch energy providers or even share your Netflix account.
Cryptoasset investors have received further clarity on the tax treatment of their unregulated investments from HMRC. Bitcoin is by far the most well-known cryptoasset, although there are more than 1,000 others in existence. Last month, the value of one Bitcoin soared past $60,000 (roughly £43,383) for the first time after some high-profile companies adopted it as a payment method.
How will the measures affect your finances? More than usual seemed to be at stake for last month’s Budget: we waited with trepidation for further news on the eye-watering economic costs of the pandemic, while still coming to terms with the human cost.
Guarding against accidental inheritance. Soaring house prices around the UK over the last 20 years mean it’s possible to leave a substantial windfall to the people or causes closest to our hearts.
The Treasury expects inheritance tax receipts to soar by almost £1 billion by 2025/26, following the decision to freeze two key thresholds in last month’s Budget. The nil-rate band will continue at £325,000, while the residence nil-rate band remains at £175,000 until April 2026.