A quirk of the system means that families can pay £36,000 into a tax-free account for their child in one year ? far exceeding the usual £9,000 annual Junior ISA limit. A clash between how the rules differ between Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs, plus the generous £9,000 annual allowance per child, means that parents can exploit the loophole to save a huge amount of money in 12 months, or les

I have read some press reports about the Government getting rid of cash ISAs. I have an old one of these which I took out a few years ago, but I would like to take out a new one with a fixed interest rate. I want to do this before the end of the tax year in case something happens.I also have an investment ISA that I have been paying about £3,000 into for the last five years.Am I able to take out

Stock prices in London, Paris and Frankfurt were in the red on Tuesday morning, amid news that UK grocery sales growth slowed in February, amid worries about US tariffs.'Today marks a turning point in Donald Trump's tariff policy,' commented Swissquote's Ipek Ozkardeskaya. 'It is the day the tariff threat will materialise ? unless there is a surprise U-turn ? and hammer hopes that the aggressive t

Have you ever idly wondered how much you need to save to build up a million pounds in an ISA over 25 years? In case you have, the answer is £1,433 per month, assuming you get 6% growth on your investments.That's clearly a pretty punchy amount to be able to stash away from your monthly income, but before you decide to give up and start trading crypto or robbing banks, consider this: if you get to

The US market has naturally been the centre of attention for investors in recent years due to its strong returns, but the tide is turning. The best gains so far in 2025 have come from a region that's been royally unloved.Germany generated a 13.1% total return between 1 January and 14 February 2025, more than three times that of the S&P 500 (4.1%) or the Nasdaq (3.7%) in the US.Admittedly, that's a

I am getting concerned about the changes to inheritance tax on pensions.I am 78 years old, and my wife is 68. We have two grown up children with families of their own. My wife is in good health, whereas I have the usual sort of challenges befitting my age.Our total estate is worth about £900,000, including the house. I get a company pension payment every month, that should pass onto my wife when

Revenue down 3% on prior yearPre-tax profit down 20%, below forecastsBuyback and new targets spur buyingIt seems the market saved the best till last when it comes to reacting to results from the Big Four banks, with shares in Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) gaining 2.5p or 4% to 65.3p even though earnings fell 20%, missing estimates. A BRAKE ON PROFITSFor the year to December 2024, Lloyds repor

There are less than two months left until the tax year ends, on 5 April. That leaves plenty of time to organise your finances to reduce your tax bill and maximise your allowances. Here's the list of actions you can take to get shipshape before the new tax year. 1. Maximise your free money There are plenty of ways to claim free money from the government, whether through tax breaks, benefits or acc

I am aged 64, working full time, and due to get my company pension later this year. I have also got a SIPP which I have built up from my own pension savings. I would like to take some of that money out soon. Probably as a sizeable lump sum to partly spend, or maybe gift to my son.From reading some articles I am worried I may have to pay a higher rate of tax on this lump sum. If so, can I avoid tha

Adjusted EBITDA at all-time highSuperSaveClub exceeds one million members£30 million buyback launchedShares in MONY Group (MONY) rallied 6% to 201.2p after the price comparison site reported record full-year revenues and its highest ever adjusted earnings and signalled the strength of its cash flows and balance sheet by launching a £30 million share buyback.There was also relief as the tech-enab

Fourth-quarter sales rise 17.6%Group continues to outperform peersShares test new all-time highsHaving risen more than 300% over the past five years, Hermes' (RMS:EPA) shares were marked up another 3.5% to an all-time high of €2,912 in Paris after the high-end handbag-maker defied the depressed luxury goods market by delivering forecast-beating fourth-quarter sales.Revenue rose across the boa

I have been interested to read recent commentary on the proposals to extend IHT (inheritance tax) to pensions. One point caught my attention which was the reference to a 90% effective tax rate. I'm pretty certain my estate would fall in that category, but could you explain the 90% calculation, please?My situation is I have no direct descendants, only a nephew, niece and great-nephew and I am singl

I am 64 and retired from my full-time job about four years ago. At that time, I took my tax-free cash from my SIPP.I haven't yet taken any other money from my SIPP. Instead, I am working part-time as a consultant which gives me enough money for our needs.Over the last four years my pension has increased in value. Can I now take more tax-free cash from it?BlakeRachel Vahey, AJ Bell Head of Public P

If you picked up a newspaper in the last few weeks you probably read about the mini-meltdown in the bond market. Gilt yields, which move in the opposite direction to prices, started to rise all of a sudden, and it looked like things might spiral out of control.These yields dictate the rate of interest the UK government pays to borrow money, which is one of the reason they are so important. As it h

Wickes raises full year 2024 guidanceHalfords upgrades full year 2025 profit expectationWickes shares up 11%, Halfords shares up 19%Shares in Wickes (WIX) gained over 11% to 170p in morning trading as the DIY retailer reported a strong trading update for the six months ending 28 December.The company delivered continued sales and volume growth in retail with revenue up 3% year-on-year.Wickes also r

The Treasury Committee made a recent call for evidence on the future of the Lifetime ISA, which has got everyone talking. They're asking big questions, like whether the account needs a bit of a makeover, some tweaks, or even if it should be scrapped entirely. With more than 750,000 people putting nearly £1.9 billion into Lifetime ISAs in the 2022/23 tax year, it's clear this account is popular.

AJ Bell's Money Matters campaign is designed to help every woman feel good investing, whatever their age.We've put together a series of articles which breaks down some of the financial pressures you are likely to face as you step into the different decades of your life and provide you with some tools to help you navigate that journey.This article focuses in on your 30s, and thinking back, for me,

I have worked in the public sector for most of my life and since I retired, I am receiving a pension. I also have a small SIPP which I have not yet touched.My husband has a good pension of his own plus his state pension. When I die he will receive my share of our joint assets and will have enough money to live on.Instead of leaving my small SIPP to him when I die, I would like to pass it onto char

Key UK retailers ended Thursday firmly in the red but calmer bond markets and rising commodity prices helped keep blue-chip stocks in the green.The FTSE 100 index ended up 68.66 points, 0.8%, at 8,319.69. The FTSE 250 climbed 52.90 points, 0.3%, at 20,005.14, bouncing from an intra-day low of 19,733.12. The AIM All-Share ended down 0.15 of a point, 0.1%, at 719.96.The Cboe UK 100 closed up 0.8% at

London's FTSE 100 was in the green at midday on Thursday, as climbing oil and gold prices offset declines for banking and airline firms on the first day of trading in 2025.The FTSE 100 index traded up 9.94 points, 0.1%, at 8,182.96. The FTSE 250 was down 78.07 points, 0.4%, at 20,544.54, and the AIM All-Share was up 2.45 points, 0.3%, at 722.08.The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 820.39, the Cboe UK 25