Beware: Capital Gains Tax on Divorce
When splitting or passing assets on divorce capital gains tax (CGT) may not be an immediate consideration. The inter-spouse transfer exemption is commonly understood, however this exemption may only apply in the first tax year following separation, with separation usually being regarded by HMRC as the date a couple ceased to live together (with the […]
Have you registered your trust using the Trust Registration Service (TRS)?
It may have gone unnoticed to many lay trustees, but on the 1st September 2021 the Government established a new online Trust Registration Service (TRS) and imposed new registration requirements on trustees. It has always been the case that trustees must register with HMRC if the trust has tax to pay, however the TRS has […]
Beware of the boiler room scams
I am sure that many feel that they are well aware of financial scammers and are alert to emails and telephone calls that tell of packages not being delivered, cures and vaccines for COVID, or bogus pension and investment opportunities, however according to UK Finance, the representative body for the UK Banking and Finance industry, […]
Are you taking too much risk with your investments?
The FCA announced recently that it is to introduce new rules for high-risk investments. It saying that too many people are still investing in inappropriate investments and that they are concerned that too often consumers are investing in high-risk investments they don’t understand which can lead to significant and unexpected losses. Unbelievably (for some, including me) […]
Budget – Financial Planning Thoughts
Rishi Sunak’s budget was billed as a budget to protect businesses through the pandemic, fix public finances and rebuild the economy. There were few surprises, with many of the measures leaked or announced before he stood up in Parliament, he even said in his speech that the rumours ahead of the Budget were right on […]
Do you want to be more like George Clooney?
George Clooney hit the news in recent weeks regarding some gifts he made to friends. Being George Clooney these weren’t any old gifts; he gave 14 friends $1M each. In an interview he said that “….. I just thought, basically, if I get hit by a bus, they’re all in the will. So why the […]
Can I use my pension to lend money to my business?
As part of the Government’s response to the coronavirus they have introduced the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) to enable smaller businesses to access finance more quickly during the coronavirus outbreak. The BBLS is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of their turnover, up to a […]
Is now a good time to invest in a stocks and shares ISA?
A common question recently has been whether now is a good time to top up my stock and shares ISA. The thinking behind this question is that perhaps advantage can be gained as markets have fallen, and that with the base rate at 0.1% there are few if any attractive cash ISA deals around currently. […]
Managing Capital Gains Tax During a Market Downturn
Falling markets and falling investments are rarely welcome, but there are actions you can take that can improve your financial position, and one thing to consider is managing your capital gain tax (CGT) position. This article focuses on some of the more simple, but not to be forgotten, CGT planning opportunities. Let’s begin with the […]
Why Having a Professionally Managed Multi-Asset Portfolio is Now More Critical Than Ever
It is clear that the coronavirus crisis is making many investors reassess their approach to their portfolios and risk management. Amid rapid change and uncertainty, portfolio managers are having to make adjustments as it has become clear that the impact of Covid-19 will have long-lasting effects. In addition to the immediate and short-term impacts, managers […]
