Inflation hit a 30-year high, with rising energy, goods and food prices pushing it to 6.2 per cent in the 12 months to February, according to the Office for National Statistics. The Bank of England, which recently raised interest rates...
How to chase down lost pension property – Birmingham Post article 27.03.2022
There is an estimated £20 billion in lost pensions waiting to be claimed in the UK. It seems an incredible sum and hard to credit that it can be true. Perhaps not so surprising though when you consider how people...
Max out your tax relief – Birmingham Post article 17.03.2022
These are tough economic times – the disruption wrought by Covid, the war in Ukraine pushing energy prices through the roof, mortgage rates increasing as inflation rises. Anything, however small, which can help close the gap has got to be...
Don’t ignore micro companies when building a portfolio – Birmingham Post article 10.03.2022
There are strong arguments for including smaller companies in a diversified portfolio. The benefits come to the fore when considering long term returns and in the process can help support entrepreneurialism in the UK. Given research is not as readily...
Investors ponder whether to stick or twist – Birmingham Post article 03.03.2022
There are strong signs of a “great rotation” away from the growth companies that did so well for investors over the period since the 2007/8 Global Financial Crisis, the likes of tech stocks and pharmaceuticals, and into value companies such...
How to banish retirement blues – Birmingham Post article 24.02.2022
How are you going to build up enough savings to see you through retirement? Most people will choose the pension route, not least because with a workplace scheme your employer will normally match your contributions while the government offers tax...
The NFT phenomenon gathers pace – Birmingham Post article 17.02.2022
The craze for non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has generated a $27 billion (£20.4 billion) market. So claims blockchain analysts, Chainalysis. Huge sums are involved. Digital artist Mike Winkelmann, better known as Beeple, sold an NFT of his work for $69.3 million...
Cladding limbo for buy-to-let landlords – Birmingham Post article 10.02.2022
Buy-to-let landlords who own properties caught up in the cladding controversy are facing a worrying time. There is a question mark over whether the Government will include them in its latest blueprint for sorting out building safety issues. They could...
Buy-to-let looks to a strong future – Birmingham Post article 03.02.2022
It’s a mixed picture for buy-to-let landlords. The rental market has been strong but legislative challenges are making life tougher. Meanwhile the pandemic has seen fast-moving and fluctuating consumer choice. In areas outside London, rents rose by six per cent...
Charity donations don’t need to be taxing – Birmingham Post article 27.01.2022
Charitable giving offers tax benefits and it has held up surprisingly well through the pandemic. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution even claims to have seen a ‘significant’ increase in annual donations, albeit special circumstances apply – a response from generous benefactors...