Is inheritance tax too complicated? February 22, 2018 | City Talk The chancellor has requested a review of the “particularly complex” UK inheritance tax regime. What is it that makes inheritance tax so complicated? Chancellor Philip Hammond recently wrote to the independent Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) in order to call for a review of inheritance tax to make sure the system is "fit for purpose". [...]
How to plan a comfortable retirement February 22, 2018 | City Talk Saving for retirement is essential if you want to fully enjoy your later years, but how do you assess how much income you will need? Plus how much do you need to save to reach your goals? For many people retirement seems a long way off and saving into a pension isn’t always seen as [...]
Sorry HR, but the only way to ‘engage’ at work is to like your job February 21, 2018 Employee engagement is taking itself very seriously these days. It has its theorists and practitioners, its own Wikipedia page and an annoyingly persistent PR machine. According to this discipline's teachings, there exist fail-proof methodologies that can transform your average office worker – the one who browses Facebook and Mail Online when no one is watching [...]
Claim your refund on power of attorney applications February 21, 2018 | City Talk The UK government is offering a refund of up to £54 to individuals who have previously applied to register a power of attorney. A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that gives trusted appointees the ability to make decisions on the behalf of someone no longer able to do so, such as [...]
Why we aren’t too worried about rising bond yields February 21, 2018 | City Talk The market was spooked by the recent rise in bond yields as data implied that US interest rates could rise at a faster pace than expected. We expect a positive repricing of bonds. The recent move higher in global bond yields has to be viewed in the context that last year was probably the least [...]
Five habits of good investing February 21, 2018 | City Talk Taking a long-term view History suggests the stock market is the best way to grow wealth over the long term, easily outpacing interest rates on cash. However, significant market falls are also a part of investing and notoriously difficult to predict. It is worth remembering that the longer you invest for the greater your chances [...]
Why companies that cut their dividend can be attractive income investments February 20, 2018 | City Talk An important part of income investing is receiving dividends. A dividend is the portion of a company’s profits that is returned to shareholders. The payment of dividends is an incentive to own shares in stable companies. Often, companies paying attractive dividends will be those that no longer benefit from reinvesting their profits, whereas companies with [...]
Digital challenger bank Tandem has launched its first product – a credit card February 20, 2018 Fintech startup Tandem is launching its first product to the public – a credit card. It's also the first digital challenger bank to offer a credit card, with others such as Monzo and Starling initially diving into current accounts. Read more: Bob Diamond's private equity firm is eyeing up digital challenger Tandem The card will [...]
Is your equity income portfolio diversified? February 20, 2018 | City Talk Those looking for an income from the stock market often turn to Equity Income funds. They provide a portfolio of dividend-producing stocks with investors standing to benefit from a rising dividend income as well as some capital growth – though like any investment their value, and the income derived from them, can fall as well [...]
Should shareholders shudder as Rio Tinto mentions M&A? February 20, 2018 | City Talk During the last mining boom, chief executives of virtually all of the major resource stocks listed in the UK blew shareholders’ money on over-priced acquisitions. These purchases appeared to be more about ego and empire building than a sensible, prudent growth strategy. The M&A (mergers and acquisitions) splurge led to billions of dollars in write [...]
