The world’s share markets enjoyed strong rises in 2019. 2019 was a very different year for investors from 2018. Whereas 2018 saw a pattern of losses across all major markets,... read more →
The Lifetime ISA is now on its own as the ISA option for first time buyers. At the start of December, the Help-to-Buy ISA was withdrawn for new investments. Its... read more →
The latest statistics from HMRC show the inflows to venture capital trusts (VCTs) have more than doubled since 2009/10. At the end of last year, HMRC published details of how... read more →
How will the new government affect your financial planning? December’s general election delivered a Conservative government with the sort of majority which consigns the knife-edge parliamentary battles of recent... read more →
New calculations from the Office for National Statistics have lowered life expectancies. Every two years, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) recalculates its national population projections (NPP). As part of... read more →
Sheffield headquartered SMH Financial Services have added three new team members in recent months to meet increasing client demands and workloads. SMH Financial Services was set up in 2015 as... read more →
The Financial Conduct Authority has announced a temporary ban on the promotion of most ‘mini-bonds’. Have you ever been tempted by those advertisements offering 8%+ yields on property-backed bonds? If... read more →
The Autumn Budget may have been deferred, but the tax year clock is still ticking. The deferral of the Autumn Budget, originally due on 6 November 2019, created several problems.... read more →
Recently released economic data suggest a relatively large increase in the main state pensions for the next tax year, but it’s still inadequate for a happy retirement. The new levels... read more →
In early November, HMRC undertook a distinctly non-festive bulk mailing. “We receive information about investment funds and this information shows that you may have invested in Offshore Investment Funds.” Those... read more →
