Helping you protect your wealth is an important part of what we do, and one thing is certain, you need to plan to protect your wealth from a potential Inheritance Tax (IHT) liability. Once only the domain of the very wealthy, the wide-scale increase in home ownership and rising property values over the past decade have pushed many estates over the IHT threshold.
Many savers turned their back on high street deposit accounts last year as new figures show a record year for investments.
With further tax increases on the horizon, there really is no time like the present to consider your tax position carefully and explore what planning can be effectively put in place to help mitigate or defer the upcoming increased income tax liabilities. There are a number of areas that you may like to consider prior to the end of the current fiscal year. Specific matters may be relevant to you or this may be an appropriate moment to review your affairs generally, especially following the announcements in the 2009 Pre-Budget Report.
If you have not already talked to us about using your 2009/10 Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowance, time is running out. Any unused ISA allowance from this current tax year cannot be rolled over to the next tax year and will be lost forever.
Whatever happens in life, we can work with you to make sure that you and your family are provided for. Premature death, injury and serious illness can affect the most health-conscious individuals and even the most diligent workers can be made redundant.
Several factors will determine the shape of your portfolio. The first of these is your investment objective. This takes into account whether you’re investing for income or for growth. If you want to generate income, perhaps to supplement your pension or salary, then you need to consider income-producing investments such as fixed interest or equity income funds. However, if it’s growth you’re after, then your portfolio could be more biased towards equities. Or, you may achieve growth by opting for an equity income fund and reinvesting the income.
Wherever you are with your retirement savings, don’t be put off from taking action – it’s not too late. There are still steps you can take to boost the income you’ll receive when you retire.
For investors concerned about global warming and other environmental issues, there are a plethora of ethical investments that cover a multitude of different strategies. The terms ‘ethical investment’ and ‘socially responsible investment (SRI)’ are often used interchangeably to mean an approach to selecting investments whereby the usual investment criteria are overlaid with an additional set of ethical or socially responsible criteria.
For the appropriate investor looking to achieve capital security, growth or income, there are a number of advantages to investing offshore, particularly with regards to utilising the tax deferral benefits. You can defer paying tax for the lifetime of the investment, so your investment rolls up without tax being deducted, but you still have to pay tax at your highest rate when you cash the investment in. As a result, with careful planning, and if appropriate you could put offshore investments to good use.
Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs)
You pay no personal income tax or capital gains tax on any growth in an ISA, or when you take your money out. If you invest in a stocks and shares ISA, any dividends you receive are paid net, with a 10 per cent tax credit. There is no further tax liability.