Figures released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) show that IHT receipts have hit record levels while new data shows the taxman is hunting down thousands of families that have not paid the correct liability on inherited estates. Record sums In the first ten months of the 2023/24 financial year, HMRC collected £6.3bn in death […]
Author archives: natalie
In the news
Equity release trends According to the Equity Release Council1, total annual lending reached £2.6bn in 2023, compared to a record-breaking £6.2bn in 2022, returning the market to the level of activity last seen between 2016 to 2017 (£2.1bn to £3.1bn). The total number of plans agreed last year was 26,119, a drop of 47% from […]
Get planning children’s financial futures
We all want a good start in life for the children in our family. After providing for the immediate needs of younger children, thoughts turn towards the future and consideration of longer-term goals. You may want to consider investing for your child’s future to potentially build something significant which they can call on in later […]
In the news
Find lost money! Up to £800m of pension and insurance assets and an even higher amount of savings could be lying dormant, according to new data1. Bank and savings accounts may be declared dormant if you don’t touch the account for several years and any letters from the bank or building society may fail to […]
More later life FTBs
The challenges young people face in getting on the property ladder are a regular feature in the media. A less-often discussed impact of the UK’s housing market, however, is the rising age of first-time buyers (FTBs). Average age rises The biggest increase in FTBs in the last five years has been among older homebuyers, a […]
A plan to grow the global economy?
While the latest forecast released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) does suggest global growth is likely to remain below its long-term historic average, the update did strike a relatively optimistic note with the organisation’s Chief Economist saying a global “soft landing” was in sight. Global growth upgraded In its first assessment of world economic […]
The cost of dying – relieving the pressure
Nearly half (48%) of adults aged 18 to 40 don’t have life insurance1. This puts many in a precarious position, as the unfortunate reality is that the cost of dying is high. Research has found that a premature death can cost surviving family members an average of £195,475 over the course of ten years2. These […]
Crafting your retirement strategy
Have you developed a retirement strategy yet? Whether you’re nearing retirement, or you still have many years of your working life ahead, careful planning is essential to secure financial stability and peace of mind when you stop working. Active planning is important According to a recent report1, individuals on average begin actively planning for retirement […]
Adding value to your home this spring
If you’re looking to sell this year, you might be wondering how to add extra value to your home before listing. It’s not always obvious, though, what are the best ways to do this, so it is easy to become fearful of sinking money into a project that might not increase the sale price. Fortunately, […]
In the news
UK M&A activity drops nearly a fifth in 2023 UK M&A activity in 2023 fell below 2022 levels as economic headwinds continued to affect the number of deals completed in the year, according to PwC’s latest Global M&A Trends 2024 Outlook. In total, the UK saw 3,628 deals across 2023, compared to 4,362 the previous […]