That’s LISA with a P!

Image of a calculator, pen and graph, used by someone for financial planning.

Leading up to the Budget there were endless articles, commentary and sometimes heated debate over the Chancellor’s intentions with regard to pensions and in particular tax relief. On the day though, there was hardly a mention of the ‘P’ word other than some much needed amendments to badly drafted sections of the last Pensions Act.…

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Summer Budget 2015: Osborne’s Tax Tinkering

Despite being light on surprises, the first truly Conservative Budget for almost 20 years was far from the right wing statement many expected as Mr Osborne endeavoured to close the door on a low-wage, high-welfare, high tax economy. Although perhaps not as headline-grabbing as the introduction of a ‘National Living Wage’ or the commitment to…

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Death and Taxes

To quote Benjamin Franklin   “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”. Well not according to the Chancellor, who has announced the abolition of the 55% lump sum death benefits charge (further details to follow in the Autumn Statement on the 3rd December).  As a result those who die…

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And on that (pension) bombshell…

The Chancellor resisted ending the budget speech as above, but it would have been appropriate. The oft quoted reason for not funding a pension is the requirement to purchase an annuity with the proceeds.  Whilst this has ceased to be an issue due to changes introduced over the last few years, the government has decided…

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