magazine archive
magazine archive
Personal Finance
How to use ‘refer a friend’ deals to boost your savings
Thursday 02 May 2024Lots of companies are willing to pay out money if you introduce a friend to their services. Whether it’s mobile phones, bank accounts, broadband, investment accounts or insurance, there is often a deal where if you introduce a friend you make a bit of money for your troubles – and often the friend...
The perils of drawing your pension early
Thursday 25 Apr 2024Every time anyone in the UK puts money into a pension, a deal is struck. The government adds tax relief to the contribution, and the quid pro quo is you have to lock that money away for retirement. Hence why you can only access a pension after the age of 55, rising to 57 from 2028. The idea is that...
Get the lowdown on NS&I’s new British savings bonds
Thursday 18 Apr 2024In the Spring Budget, the chancellor announced the launch of new British savings bonds with the promise of a three-year cash account intended to raise more money for the government. The new products have been launched, so we’ll explain what they are and when you might want to use them. WHAT ARE THE...
Early bird ISA investors swoop on £19,000 gain
Thursday 11 Apr 2024The end of the tax year is well known for being ISA season, when savers and investors rush to beat the 5 April deadline to make the most of their £20,000 annual ISA contribution. But in the background a hardy bunch of investors are just biding their time at the beginning of April, waiting for the...
The personal finance changes hitting in April
Thursday 04 Apr 2024The new tax year often brings a raft of changes that impact people’s pay, investments and savings – and this year is no different. Here we list the big changes affecting people’s finances from next month. 1. Capital Gains Tax breaks cut again… From April the tax-free allowance for capital gains tax...
How to make the most of the big gilt revival
Thursday 28 Mar 2024In the middle of a bull market in stocks, gilts are back on the menu for investors. They might not offer the eye-popping returns experienced by Nvidia (NVDA:NASDAQ) shareholders, but nonetheless individual gilts were some of the most popular investments made over the last year on the AJ Bell...
How a Lifetime ISA can shave years off your house deposit savings journey
Thursday 21 Mar 2024Getting on the housing ladder is the top priority for many young people, but with both house prices and mortgage rates rising it can be an increasingly hard-to-reach goal. However, using a Lifetime ISA can supercharge your savings and get you closer to your house-buying dream. The average house...
Is the British ISA an investor’s friend or a flop?
Thursday 14 Mar 2024The introduction of a new British ISA was announced in the Budget, in a bid to revive the UK’s flagging stock market. The BRISA, as it has already been dubbed, will only allow money to be invested in UK stocks and bonds. The Government hopes to boost the performance of UK shares by restricting...
Giving to charity? Don’t miss the tax boost
Thursday 07 Mar 2024Lots of people gift money to charity every year, but many aren’t aware there are big tax breaks for doing so. Research commissioned by HMRC showed that although 94% of higher earners donating to charity had heard about gift aid, only 52% were aware they could claim a tax rebate on their donations...
The hidden costs of safe-haven investing
Thursday 29 Feb 2024Every investor understands the basic trade-off when it comes to where to put your money: the more risk you take, the more potential reward you garner. The flip side of this golden rule is the less risk you take, the lower the returns you should expect from your investments. Cautious investors are...