News

Protecting against problems in a cashless society. The UK’s shift towards becoming a cashless society is well and truly under way, according to UK Finance, which said the number of payments made using notes and coins fell by 35% in 2020.

Pensions usually fall outside of your estate. Inheritance tax was thought to be ripe for reform in last year’s Autumn Budget but, as it happened, it was left untouched for another tax year. 

One in four buy-to-let landlords plan to sell up in 2022 Almost a quarter of landlords plan to sell up over the next 12 months as buy-to-let becomes increasingly difficult to navigate, a report has claimed.

Careful planning to understand the costs. Every parent wants to give their child the best start in life. Whether that’s sending them to the best nursery, the best school, or the best university, an education is a long-term investment in their future.

Can you benefit from the best of both approaches? Whether the terms are new to you or you already hold an opinion, we will look at the respective pros and cons of active and passive fund investing, and find out if it is possible to get the best of both by taking a hybrid approach to investing.

Equity release market on course for record-breaking year The UK’s equity release market is on track to break the £4 billion barrier as 2021 comes to a close, according to the Equity Release Council (ERC). Homeowners reportedly took out £1.049bn in property wealth in the three months to 30 September 2021, the council said.

Is now a good time to invest in buy-to-let? Purchasing an additional residential property to let out usually offers a guaranteed income and the potential for capital growth from a single investment.  But this sector has declined in popularity in recent years, following the introduction of a raft of regulatory and tax changes which has forced many landlords to leave the sector as a result. 

Is retiring to the sun still possible? Or has Brexit dashed the dream? Some of us have had enough of the inclement weather in the UK, and dream of retiring somewhere warm and sunny.  We often talk about it for years, fed up with the same old routine, the same journey to work, the same things at work, and a desire to do something different.

Savers exposed as lifetime allowance protection wanes The number of people protecting themselves against breaching the lifetime allowance slowed in the last year. 

Options for those who have found their next home. If you are in a position to upsize or pay off more of an existing mortgage, make sure you understand the small print first. One might expect the property market to dampen considerably now the stamp duty holiday has ended. But while the number of transactions dropped off significantly after the first deadline, house prices still rose 2.1% in August. 

Corporate financial planning Key financial considerations for employers. The lengthening list of rules and regulations involved with running a small business can take its toll on those in charge – even more so if you employ members of staff.  First, you need to ensure the business gets paid on time, every time, and ideally that it makes a profit. Then you must comply with a whole host of employer obligations.

Curtain comes down on stamp duty land tax holiday  The stamp duty holiday in England and Northern Ireland has ended, more than 14 months after it first came into effect.  The tax break saw buyers who purchased residential properties for £500,000 or less pay no stamp duty until 30 June 2021, although landlords still had to pay the 3% surcharge.