SCOTS LAW Synopsis: National Savings & Investments has said that unless Scottish savers have a bank account south of the border they will not be able to invest in its products although existing holdings could be retained. Date posted: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has said that if Scotland votes for […]
PROTECTION Synopsis: In this article we explore exclusions, in principle, in income protection; in days gone by insurers would view exclusions as a way of offering cover, albeit partial cover. Nowadays in more consumer focused times and following the PPI scandal, advisers generally believe that exclusions are a turn-off to customers and the market has […]
Synopsis: The first half of 2014 is over for the investment markets. There was not a great deal of movement in the equity markets and the big surprise was in the bond markets, where yields fell, confounding many forecasts. Date posted: Friday, July 04, 2014 2014 started with the initial ‘tapering’ of the Fed’s $85bn […]
NISA Transfers Investments that qualify for a Stocks and Shares NISA Background At Budget 2014 it was announced that with effect from 1 July 2014 all ISAs will become New ISAs (NISAs). This applies to all existing ISAs and new accounts opened after 1 July. The NISA will offer flexibility to hold savings in any […]
WILLS/WILL TRUSTS Synopsis: The Government has announced plans to hold a national event to raise awareness of the Mental Capacity Act, with particular emphasis on increasing the level of awareness and understanding of Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA). Date posted: Thursday, June 19, 2014 As part of the official response to the House of Lords […]
Synopsis: HMRC have updated their ISA statistics with a breakdown of contribution levels for 2011/12. The numbers help to explain why Mr Osborne could be relatively sanguine in the short term about raising contribution limits in the Budget. Date posted: Thursday, May 01, 2014 HMRC’s latest ISA statistical bulletin was released last week and contains […]
PENSIONS – SIMPLIFIED TAX REGIME Synopsis: A fixed protection 2014 reminder Date posted: Monday, March 31, 2014 Fixed Protection 2014 elections will need to made this week (w/c 31/3/14) and no later than Saturday 5th April 2014. To apply on line here. Alternatively, if you are applying by post, applications must be received at HMRC […]
PENSIONS – PENSION REFORM 2014/15 Synopsis: Government announce relaxation to rules on timings of drawing PCLS with pension income Steve Webb has announced that the government is to change the current rules that require the income from a pension to be taken within 6 months of the pension commencement lump sum being drawn. The government […]
BUDGET 2014 Synopsis: Weekend newspapers carry headlines of mass pension fund withdrawal to fund buy to let pension alternative Date posted: Monday, March 24, 2014 The proposed April 2015 relaxation permitting unrestricted pension fund drawdown to all regardless of ‘pot size’ has carried some predictions of a flood of requests from ‘pension disaffected retirees’ to […]
Synopsis: A gap between drawdown rates and annuities is emerging. Date posted: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 It always pays to watch the gap between corporate bond yields and gilt yields, because, all other things being equal, the wider the gap, the closer together are annuity rates (driven primarily by corporate bond yields) and drawdown limits […]
