magazine archive
magazine archive
Personal Finance
Six big mistakes to avoid ahead of the end of the tax year
Thursday 10 Mar 2022Missing out on free money Whether it’s your pension, your Lifetime ISA or ensuring you claim tax breaks that you are eligible for, you want to make the most of any free government cash that you’re entitled to. Pensions benefit from tax relief at 20% for basic-rate taxpayers, but higher and...
How to value investments for inheritance tax purposes
Thursday 24 Feb 2022When someone dies and they have investments and other assets outside of a pensions environment, each of those assets needs to be given a value to determine the total value of the estate – and then in turn work out how much inheritance tax is due. But it can be tricky to work out how to value some...
How to shelter investments from an inflation storm
Thursday 17 Feb 2022Inflation is now forecast to peak at over 7% in April, which naturally has many people worried about how that will affect their savings and investments. Meanwhile the average Cash ISA is currently paying just 0.34% in interest, so many people will be looking to the stock market to help fend off...
Where’s the best place for £100,000 cash?
Thursday 10 Feb 2022Many people after a property transaction will be left with a large amount of cash that they may need in the relatively short term but not immediately. If we assume someone has banked proceeds of say £100,000, from a house sale or some other big transaction or windfall, where would be the most...
If you're under 50 do you need to invest in bonds?
Thursday 03 Feb 2022The bond market is under pressure. High inflation and the potential for rising interest rates have led to price falls, which may be the beginning of a tougher period for bonds. That’s after a terrific decade in which they have enjoyed abundant returns, thanks to loose monetary policy. Bonds tend to...
When and how do I pay for charges on investments?
Thursday 27 Jan 2022It is common to pay fees when you put money into stocks, funds and bonds via a DIY investment platform. The initial and ongoing fees vary depending on what you own, how you invest and how much money you have invested on the platform. For example, with AJ Bell Youinvest you will be charged £1.50...
Key personal finance dates for your 2022 diary
Thursday 13 Jan 2022This year is bringing a whole host of changes to personal finances, from the introduction of a new tax to certain paper notes being phased out. Here’s a run-through of what’s happening in 2022 and the key finance dates for your diary. Train fares increased by 3.8% at the start of the year, which...
House price boom presents problem for Lifetime ISA savers
Thursday 16 Dec 2021House prices in the UK are rising at the fastest rate since before the financial crisis, with no signs of the market slowing down since the stamp duty holiday ended. The latest Halifax House Price Index shows that on a quarterly basis, the house price growth of 3.4% over the past three months is...
How to avoid a Christmas debt hangover
Thursday 02 Dec 2021Tis the season to spend lots of money, as the famous song (doesn’t) go, and many people may have already started their Christmas spending already. Whether it’s presents to go under the tree, buying food to host on the big day or kitting the house out in decorations, the festive season is often...
The magic number for portfolio diversification
Thursday 25 Nov 2021Diversification is a universally agreed principle of portfolio management, for both professional and DIY investors. However, there’s less consensus when it comes to achieving this in practice and also answering one of the key questions investors often ask about allocating their money: what’s the...