In this month’s commentary our Chief Economist, Colin Warren, looks at some key consensus economic views for 2024, and also considers how they might turn out to be wrong.
After the new year celebrations, it’s a sad fact that January can bring a different kind of ‘new beginning’ for all too many Britons. Speak to any legal professional, and they’ll probably tell you that January is the month that divorce applications skyrocket. So much so that the second working Monday of the month has been dubbed ‘divorce Monday’, as it is when solicitors across the UK see a peak in applications.
Completing your personal self-assessment tax return can be daunting, which may mean you put it off to the last minute. That said, when you consider that the deadline for the next self-assessment is 31 January 2024, putting if off won’t be an option for much longer.
Supporting a local charity each year is something that we believe is an important part of giving back to our community. As a record-breaking year of fundraising for Birmingham Women’s Hospital Charity comes to an end, we’re delighted to announce our charity of the year for 2024: the MND Association.
In his 2023 Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced a major change to how National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will be paid from 2024. If you’re employed, a key change comes into effect on 6 January, and it could mean an estimated 27 million UK workers will be hundreds of pounds a year better off. Read on to discover more about the changes and what they might mean for you.
After much speculation that the Chancellor would scrap Inheritance Tax (IHT) in his 2023 Autumn Statement, on the day, he did nothing of the sort. This means that your estate may still be exposed to the tax, which is typically charged at 40%, and if it is, you may be wondering how to reduce your exposure to it.
On Thursday 23 November, we held our annual 10-year Christmas meal. This year, over 60 employees joined CEO, Alan Hudson, at a restaurant local to our Head Office in Bromsgrove, where they were wined, dined and of course thanked for all their hard work and dedication over the years.
Extending your lifespan by six years could mean that you need to increase the value of your retirement fund to ensure that you can maintain your lifestyle for the additional period. Not doing so could mean you have to reduce your standard of living, or even worse may result in your retirement fund running dry.
You may be considering what you hope to achieve in the new year. The start of a new year can be the perfect time to make changes in your life, whether that’s to exercise more, eat less or become better with your finances. Read on to discover five important considerations that could help you to create a more robust financial plan and accomplish your objectives in 2024.
