As we start 2025, you may be considering marking the New Year with some new habits. This may be to exercise more, create a better work-life balance, or to get more from your finances.
As Christmas is a time for giving, it could be an ideal opportunity to mitigate, or potentially negate, your estate’s exposure to Inheritance Tax (IHT). This might be more important than ever when you consider that the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, extended the freeze on the nil-rate band (NRB) until April 2030.
President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on some of America’s main trading partners. In this month’s commentary our Chief Economist, Colin Warren, looks at how tariffs can harm economic wellbeing via their impact on prices, jobs, and productivity.
Thinking about your own mortality is never going to be easy, although doing so could help to reduce stress for your family when you pass away. As dealing with a loved one’s finances when they die can make a difficult situation even more stressful, getting your wealth in order to help ease the burden could be a huge help to those you love.
Research carried out by the independent thinktank, the Tax Policy Associates, confirms something many have long suspected: Inheritance Tax (IHT) is the most disliked tax of all. So it’s little surprise that IHT featured heavily in media speculation about what might be announced in October’s Autumn Budget.
As the ‘Black Friday’ sales draw closer, you may be one of the millions of people eager to bag a bargain in the run up to the festive period. Whether you’re thinking of treating yourself or someone close to you, Black Friday can be the perfect opportunity to stock up on gifts and save money.
In the wake of October’s Autumn Statement, there has been plenty of media coverage about the financial impacts of the Chancellor’s announcements. The one that has come under particular scrutiny was the hike in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for employers, and the possible implications for the UK economy.
In this month’s commentary our Chief Economist, Colin Warren, looks at how a second Trump presidency might impact the UK economy and public finances, focusing on three key areas: tariffs, borrowing costs, and defence spending.
In the run up to October’s budget, the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, repeatedly said that ‘difficult’ decisions needed to be made. Small wonder that the budget, which was the first to be delivered by Labour in 14 years, was being dubbed the ‘Halloween horror budget’ by some media pundits.
