Never mind the Eurozone crisis, UK double dip recession or the fiscal cliff – equity markets generally did well in 2012. The apparently modest performance of the UK in 2012 stems from several factors. It was not a good year … Continue reading →

The Autumn Statement increase in drawdown limits is not the panacea some press comment has suggested. Last year the personal finance pages of the national press regularly carried stories about how income drawdown reviews had left investors facing large cuts … Continue reading →

More allowance cuts… The annual allowance – the maximum total tax-efficient contribution that can be contributed to pension plans by you or on your behalf during the tax year – was cut from £50,000 to £40,000, but from 2014/15 rather … Continue reading →

Another turn of the screw Mr Osborne’s new-found favourite percentage – 1% – cropped up in the capital taxes area as well as income tax and benefits: Inheritance tax The Chancellor announced that the nil rate band would rise by … Continue reading →

Less of a Statement, more of a Budget The Autumn Statement was delivered by the Chancellor on 5 December. In theory, on becoming Chancellor Mr Osborne abandoned the Pre-Budget Reports that were Gordon Brown’s pre-Christmas showpiece, in place of a … Continue reading →