News

If you have gaps in your national insurance contributions (NICs) record, then 31 July should be marked on your calendar. The introduction of the new state pension in April 2016 was one of the most significant reforms to state benefits … Continue reading →

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a warning on some trust services. An asset protection trust might sound like a good idea if you have assets you wish to protect. Unfortunately, the reality may be rather different, as the … Continue reading →

The government has deferred its decision on when to raise the State Pension age (SPA) to 68. In the US drama series, The West Wing, the day before the parliamentary recess was referred to as “Take out the Trash Day”. … Continue reading →

The recent problems in the banking world have raised questions around the current maximum protection for bank deposits: is it overdue for an increase? The figure of £85,000 is one you might have regularly seen in articles (or some adverts) … Continue reading →

Figures released alongside the Budget have highlighted a projected surge in the number of people who will pay more than the basic rate of tax. Source: OBR, HMRC. Both the Budget and the Autumn Statement are usually accompanied by a … Continue reading →

The rush to meet the voluntary national insurance contributions (NICs) top-up deadline of 5 April has forced HMRC to grant an extension to 31 July. The last major reform to state pensions took effect on 6 April 2016. From that … Continue reading →

A new government bill indicates that a change to the automatic enrolment minimum age, and increases to workplace pension contributions, could be on the horizon. Private members’ bills rarely get far in the parliamentary process. They all too easily fall … Continue reading →

New measures affecting pension allowances announced in the March Budget could mean your retirement planning strategy needs to be reviewed. If Jeremy Hunt did produce a ‘rabbit-out-the-hat’ in his Spring Budget, it was the announcement of the effective abolition of … Continue reading →

The Budget announced three important changes to childcare provisions in England, but one trap remains. The cost of childcare has become a hot topic in recent years. Despite increasing demand, in March 2022 the number of childcare places available had … Continue reading →

The eligibility for some bereavement payments has now been extended to unmarried couples, but there are two major caveats. In 2021, just over one in five couples living together were cohabiting but not married or in a civil partnership. Despite … Continue reading →

New research shows that UK companies continued to increase their dividend payments to investors in 2022, albeit at a much slower pace than in 2019. As memories of the Covid-19 pandemic begin to fade, it is easy to forget the … Continue reading →

How much income do you actually need in retirement? New research shows an increase that might surprise you. In 2019, the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) published research examining how much three different levels of retirement living standards would … Continue reading →