For many people approaching retirement, the pension tax-free lump sum is one of the most attractive features of their pension savings. It allows you to take up to a quarter of your pension pot as a one-off payment without paying income tax, up to a current maximum of £268,275. While this can seem straightforward, the …
When many people hear the words “estate planning”, they immediately think of very wealthy people with country homes, investment portfolios, or big family businesses. But estate planning is something that affects almost everyone, regardless of their wealth. Whether you own a house, have some savings, or simply want to make life easier for your loved …
The State Pension is due to increase by 4.7% next April after the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures were published on 16th September. The ONS data confirmed the latest annual wage growth of 4.7% would be the deciding figure under the State Pension Triple Lock. This uplift, while lower than some recent past …
Between April and June this year, HMRC issued refunds amounting to nearly £49 million to pensioners who had overpaid taxes on their pension withdrawals. Approximately 13,000 claims were processed during this period, with each individual receiving an average refund of £3,800. The issue of over-taxation arises from the method HMRC uses to calculate tax on …
Retirement planning is critical to financial security in later life. There are many considerations over years of preparation that go into ensuring a plan, once made, can work effectively for the long term. This guide is here to help you consider the essential steps and aspects of retirement, whether you’re 10 years, five years, or …
The Government has launched plans to make wide-ranging changes to how major pension funds are structured, with legal requirements to invest in UK assets. The plans will oversee the creation of new pension ‘megafunds’ which will manage over £25 billion in assets. This will affect major Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) and multi-employer defined contribution …
Annuity sales hit their highest level in a decade in 2024, with higher rates tempting retirement savers to swap their pension pots for a guaranteed income for life. Insurers sold 89,600 annuities last year, up 24% on the year before – and the highest level since 2013, according to trade body the Association of British …
Marriage might be an unlikely winner from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ controversial first budget. Whilst there have been no changes to inheritance tax allowances, more assets, most notably unspent pension funds on death, will be included in estates for inheritance tax purposes in future. This means that unmarried couples who might not have seen the value …
Pensions have been a big topic in UK politics for some time, nevermore so than in an election year. That’s no surprise to us given their crucial role in the financial security of millions of citizens, but not everyone is as interested and engaged in pensions as we are! Here’s a quick summary of why …
Now we know that Labour will be in government for the next five years, we’ve reviewed their Manifesto promises to see what might be in store from a personal and business finance perspective. How closely they stick to it and what else might be in store will only be revealed in the forthcoming months, but …
