Last
October Alistair Darling came out with new and radical proposals
for the taxing of capital gains ('CGT'). Before 5 April 2008, higher
rate taxpayers paid 40% CGT (the first 9,200 pounds of gains being
exempt), but the Chancellor planned to introduce an 18% flat rate
from 6 April 2008. more
>>>
Bold investors choosing a UK fund for their
Mini Equity ISA (maximum £4,000), or a Maxi (£7,000) can expect
rough weather for months. But this is an investment for five years,
or at least three, and shares, long term, usually outperform cash
in the bank or building society.more >>>
If you saw a £10 note lying in the gutter,
you'd almost certainly pick it up. However, when it comes to investing,
most people don't realise just how much money they're potentially
losing by not keeping a close eye on their fund's performance. You
can lose literally thousands of pounds a year by keeping your money
in poorly performing ISAs, PEPs and Unit Trusts.more
>>>
The
announcement by the Government last year that ISAs will be 'a permanent
feature of the savings landscape' will, with luck, be the last time
the government tinkers with the ISA rules. Personal Equity Plans
will very sensibly be brought within the ISA wrapper.
more
>>>
Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) were introduced in 1999 to replace
Personal Equity Plans (PEPs). When you invest through an ISA, the
income and growth are free of income and capital gains tax and you
do not have to declare an ISA on your tax return. more
>>>
When
you retire, you can usually take part of your pension fund as a
tax-free lump sum. The remainder of your fund must be used to provide
you with an income. If you have a money purchase pension, you can
do this in various ways, for example using annuities or unsecured
pension options. We explain briefly how they work and the things
you need to consider before deciding which to choose.
The anticipated boom in the equity release market did not materialise
in 2006 as expected. However, there is a steady growth in the
market which is widely predicted to mushroom as the population
ages and pension provisions continue to fail to meet living
expenses.
Boiler
rooms are offices, often overseas, set up to sell shares to UK investors.
They are not authorised by the FSA and act illegally by selling
and promoting the sale of shares in the UK. Victims tend to be in
their 50s aged and lose on average about £20,000.
Experienced investors are most common boiler room victims
The typical victim of an investment scam is a middle-aged professional
male with considerable investment experience, according to an FSA
survey
Investment returns have been a cause of concern
Every day seems to bring fresh warnings that Britons will not have
enough money to live on when they retire. more
>>>
Lord Turner says problems will worsen unless policy changes
The Pensions Commission has proposed a series of far-reaching reforms
to the UK's pensions system. It says there are significant problems
with the present situation, which will worsen unless action is taken.
more
>>>
You
contribute to a pension scheme to ensure you have an income in retirement
that'll keep you in the style to which you've become accustomed
while working. But these days you may also need some income from
another source. more...
If you
have been paying attention to all the recent talk of a "pensions
crisis" you may be worried you are not saving enough for your
retirement. more
>>>
A councillor
has raised concern about the financial plight of older people on
the day an elderly woman goes to court for not paying a £462
council tax bill.
more >>>
As the debate intensifies about the reform of pension provision in
the UK, BBC News looks at the different approaches taken by other
countries to the pensions crisis to see what lessons might be learned.
more
A political storm is brewing over proposals to raise the state pension
age to 67 and link future rises in the pension to earnings rather
than wages. more
Thousands of pensioners got help in the pilot scheme
A scheme piloted in Kent to cut red tape for pensioners entitled to
help with their council tax is being rolled out across the UK. more
In the wake of a number of mis-selling scandals, an expert explains
how you can you tell if your financial adviser has the right qualifications
to meet your needs. more
From April 2006, you will be able to put all sorts of things in a
pension
From next April, the staid world of pensions is set to get just a
little, well, exciting.
more
The
Over 80 Pension is a State Pension for people aged 80 or over who
have little or no State Pension. Unlike other State Pensions, it's
not based on National Insurance contributions.
more
Prudential
UK today launched its new industry-defining lifetime mortgage into
a market in desperate need of true innovation. The new product is
called the Prudential Property Value Release Plan and its different
to competitors products. more
Over
50s across the UK are losing out on millions of pounds of interest
each year by hoarding their savings in their current accounts, according
to new research by Post Office® Savings. more
When you think about moving house or going into
care, the choices can seem overwhelming. Our experts explain it all,
with tips on benefits, pensions, savings and writing a will.
more...
An
Enduring Power of Attorney is a form of legal document that you
can use to appoint someone of your choice to manage some or all
your property and financial affairs on your behalf. This person
is known as an attorney. more...
It's
only when the mortgage has been paid off, children have left home,
pensions are sorted and all the insurance is in place that most
people have money to save. Then it's a question of how best to put
it to work. more...
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