Finance in the News – w/c 01.03.21

Share

Short summaries of recent articles we think you will find useful from some of the UK’s broadsheets.

FINANCIAL TIMES

How green is your pension?
Savers are offered a growing range of sustainable funds, but the choice is tricky.
Q&A: You bought GameStop, now what?
Advice for winners and losers as the highly volatile US games retailer’s stock soars again.
UK ‘tax day’ will signal long-term government policy, experts say
Treasury’s move to publish consultations on March 23 likely to influence 10-year tax strategy
Am I legally entitled to a share of the family business?
We have a written but not legally binding agreement.
Money Clinic podcast: Financial tips for the self-employed
From mortgages to pensions, the odds are stacked against those who work for themselves.
Bond turmoil heralds end of the standard portfolio
If fixed-income no longer offers stability, look elsewhere for protection from equity volatility.

THE TIMES

How do I avoid stamp duty on a second home?
Case study: We live in England and I am approaching retirement and want to buy a second home near the beach for my wife and I. It seems like a good time because we see that the stamp duty holiday is likely to be extended to the end of June from its previous deadline of March 31. That would save us about £14,500 on a £350,000 home. However, there will still be tax to pay. If we were buying our first house we would not have to pay any.
Money lenders shun the self‑employed for being too complex and too risky
They earn more than salaried workers, but the self-employed are treated as a bigger risk by lenders.
Bogus taxman scams hit more than 100,000 victims in a month
Phone scams by fraudsters pretending to be from HMRC rocketed 200% in a month as criminals targeted people doing their tax returns.

THE TELEGRAPH

Investors save £120m after switch from overcharging fund contracts
But just 51% of funds with these expensive contracts have moved customers to cheaper alternatives.
Money Makeover: ‘Cladding means my flat has no value, can I gift it tax free?‘”
Problems with fire safety means a Times reader’s buy-to-let flat is worthless. But this could open a strange tax loophole.
Why investors should give fund launches a wide berth
Almost a quarter of funds launched five years ago have since closed.

THE GUARDIAN / OBSERVER

Sunak’s budget expected to offer first-time buyers mortgage guarantee
Treasury says low-deposit mortgages have virtually disappeared since 2008 financial crisis.
Lockdown savings? Put them in an ISA while you can
The Covid pandemic has bolstered many people’s balances – here are some tax-efficient places to put your cash.

Articles on this website are offered only for general informational and educational purposes. They are not offered as and do not constitute financial advice. You should not act or rely on any information contained in this website without first seeking advice from a professional. Capital is at risk; investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise.

You are now departing from the regulatory site of Finura. Finura is not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained within the linked site.

Source: https://www.techlink.co.uk/

Share

Other News

Six Ways To Use Your Money For Good

There are multiple ways to make a positive social impact with your money. Here are six of the most common that you may wish to consider, that your Finura financial planner can help you to implement.

Stamp Duty Land Tax – Higher Rates For Additional Dwellings

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) rates for additional residential properties have been increased from three percentage points above the standard residential rates of SDLT to five percentage points above the standard residential rates of SDLT for any transactions which take place on or after 31 October 2024.

Below is a summary of the rates which applied from 23 September 2022 – 30 October 2024 to additional properties versus the new rates with effect from 31 October 2024.

Lifestyle Modelling: The Crystal Ball for Your Financial Future

Have you ever found yourself asking “When can I afford to retire?”, “Can I afford to leave a legacy for my loved ones?”, “How much do I need to be saving for retirement?”. If you have, lifestyle modelling will likely be beneficial for you.