Every individual has a lifetime allowance (LTA) which sets the total capital value of pension savings that they can draw as tax privileged benefits. There’s no limit to the amount of pension savings an individual can have. However, tax privileges are recouped through the LTA charge where the LTA is exceeded. In this technical article …

With changes to defined contribution pensions on the horizon, I look at the burden this could bring on investors who pay higher or additional rate tax… During the summer HM Treasury published a call for evidence around pension tax relief. The premise behind the request is that certain low earning individuals do not enjoy tax …

With the ongoing global pandemic continuing to loosen the government’s purse strings, Head of Technical Support, Neil MacGillivray looks at the Chancellor’s potential recovery options and the impact it could have on how advisers use platforms… According to the Office for Budget Responsibility, the cost of the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to be more than …

In the first of our new podcast series, we’re shining a light on the annual allowance… In essence, the annual allowance is a straightforward concept; namely a mechanism to control the tax advantages of pension savings. However, over the years, the successive governments and their constant tinkering with pension tax legislation has added layers of …

Advisers up and down the country would have breathed a sigh of relief following the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of HMRC v Parry and others [2020] UKSC 35, (commonly known as the “Staveley case”), around IHT on transfers made by clients in ill health. In his latest blog Neil MacGillivray reflects on the …

The recent ruling by the Upper Tribunal in favour of HMRC, with respect to tax relief for in-specie contributions, perhaps helps illustrate the complexity of tax legislation and the unintended tax traps your clients could face. The potential loss of in-specie tax relief, in some scenarios, could increase the overall tax bill for the individual. …

With CGT the subject of the Chancellor’s latest tax review, fears are that a tax hike is imminent. However, going by past OTS reports, Neil MacGillivray explains that it may not all be doom and gloom… The Office of Tax simplification (OTS) has been asked by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to review Capital Gains Tax …

Proposals to ease planning restrictions, where change of use is being considered, could cause some headaches for pension scheme administrators, as well as investors… From September it’s likely that a wider range of commercial properties will be allowed to convert to residential use, without the need for planning permission. Despite these Government proposals, it is …

This article was written and provided by the FCA New analysis as part of the regulators’ joint ScamSmart campaign reveals that it could take 22 years for a saver to build a pension pot of £82,000 – the average amount victims lost to scams in 2018. But despite this, many savers could be at risk …

I can’t believe that there is a TV channel dedicated to Christmas films over the summer. But maybe the season of goodwill has come early given Rishi Sunak’s Summer Economic Update, as it’s very much give, give, give – with no take, take, take, as there were no implied tax increases. Perhaps the most interesting …