State pensions: the triple lock marches on…

The pension triple lock will deliver a 2.5% increase in April

The main state pensions will rise by 2.5% in April. The absence of an autumn Budget in 2020 meant that there was no formal announcement of the level of state pensions from April 2021. The numbers eventually emerged on 8 December in a press release from the Department for Work and Pensions: The new state pension,…

The tax year-end approaches as filing deadline eased

2020/21 is drawing to a close, with a Budget now slated for early March. Ahead of that, HMRC is easing some of its traditional deadlines in the light of the ongoing pandemic. If you’re struggling to prepare your self-assessment tax return due to the effects of the pandemic, you may get some relief. It has…

Imposing a wealth tax – a viable option?

Is the Chancellor considering imposing a wealth tax?

An independent body of tax experts has set out the framework for a one-off wealth tax. Will the Chancellor be tempted? “We have a responsibility, once the economy recovers, to return to a sustainable fiscal position.” So said the Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his November statement, during which he also highlighted that the government was spending…

The 2020 investment year – a ride to remember

Investment - Investors went on a rollercoaster ride in 2020

Investment – The world’s share markets had a rollercoaster ride in 2020. Index 2020 Change FTSE 100 -14.3% FTSE All-Share -12.5% Dow Jones Industrial +7.25% Standard & Poor’s 500 +16.3% Nikkei 225 +16.0% Euro Stoxx 50 (€) -5.1% Shanghai Composite +13.9% MSCI Emerging Markets (£) +12.3% Investors had to hold on tight as 2020 turned…