Don’t forget the other student loan

When it comes to student loans, the media focus is usually on tuition fees (outside Scotland), but there’s another loan that shouldn’t be overlooked – and that includes Scotland. In January 2023, the Department for Education (DfE) issued a press … Continue reading

Value for money: State pension vs. NICs

Recent research has compared the value of personal national insurance contributions (NICs) with the value of state pension received. The results may surprise you. NICs are not well understood, a fact exploited by Chancellors past and present. Many people mistakenly … Continue reading

Pensions, death and taxes: the retirement anomaly

There is an interesting lesson to be learned from a think tank’s pension criticism. Think tanks come in many different guises, some more independent than others. Those without political links – overt or covert – can often provide a valuable, … Continue reading

2022 investment wrap-up

In 2022, most of the world’s major share indices had their worst year since 2008, but the UK’s FTSE 100 was a star performer. Index 2022 Change FTSE 100 +0.9% FTSE 250 -19.7% Dow Jones Industrial -9.2% Standard & Poor’s … Continue reading

Into the ice age: the diminishing personal allowance

The frozen personal allowance may be overtaken by the new state pension in only a few years, proving the income tax screw is well and truly tightening. Source: DWP, HMRC, OBR. The new state pension, payable to eligible individuals who … Continue reading