Tag: Tax
A look at what IFP do for our clients…
This section of our quarterly newsletter will look at a specific case study and demonstrate how you can identify which of your clients we may be able to help, how we provide our services and the results of providing high quality independent professional financial advice. The Retiring Business Owner Case Study Mr Owner aged 57 and [...]
Read moreMay Market Commentary
Wednesday April 25th must have been the morning David Cameron felt like phoning in sick. The Office of National Statistics officially confirmed that a shock 0.2% contraction in growth had pushed the UK into its first double dip recession since the 1970s. Meanwhile the Levenson Inquiry rumbled on with Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt facing calls to [...]
Read more5 Qualities an IFA brings to your investment portfolio
Let’s assume for a moment that you’re in the happy position of having £100,000 to invest. What would you do? Play absolutely safe and put the money on deposit? Or go all out for capital growth and put your windfall into a fund that could give you a sky-high return – but that carries an [...]
Read moreTake advantage of the 50% Tax Band for Pension Tax Relief
In the Budget, the chancellor announced that the top rate of income tax, payable on earnings of £150,000 or more, would fall from 50% to 45% from April 2013. This cut means that tax relief on pension contributions for earners in that tax bracket will also fall to the same level. As the measure [...]
Read moreGuarding against Inheritance Tax biting into your estate
It is never too early to start planning where inheritance tax (IHT) is concerned. At the very least, you should keep a watching brief on the value of assets that could be part of your estate, particularly in relation to the inheritance tax nil-rate band. This has not changed since 2009 and whilst it is [...]
Read moreMaximise your ISA opportunity
As the end of the tax year approaches, we have the biggest ISA opportunity available since ISAs were first introduced. In the next five weeks by spanning the 2011/12 and 2012/13 ISA tax years a family of four will have the ability to shelter £58,320 from the taxman. This assumes that a couple each use their [...]
Read moreISAs gathering dust, not interest!
An increasing number of new cash ISA products are being sold with additional interest as a bonus percentage, usually for no more than the first year. Investors who do not review their ISA holdings on at least a yearly basis may find that a later interest yield is dramatically less that they expected. Some people [...]
Read moreFindings reveal ‘head-in-the-sand’ attitude towards pensions
Despite the recent strikes against cuts in public sector pensions, Aviva reports that most British people have a head-in-the-sand attitude to pensions. Aviva said that few people start “actively thinking” about pensions until they are 48 years old, and take another four years before they do anything about it. Behind the failure to start preparing [...]
Read moreTen strategies for tax planning in 2012
In the theme of making New Year’s resolution’s for 2012 – an often overlooked part of putting your finances in order is making sure that your tax planning is effective. Are you claiming all the tax relief you’re entitled to? Are your investments arranged in the most tax efficient way? To give your financial planning a head [...]
Read moreMarket Commentary – November ’11
When you realise that the ‘Italian 10’ trending on Twitter refers not to Antonio Cassano’s goal against Northern Ireland but to the yield on the Italian 10 Year Bond, then you know the European debt crisis – and the consequent turmoil on the world stock markets – remains alive and well. November was the month [...]
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