Personal Finance
The Anaylst: Down under's back-door into a boom
Published: 13 October 2007
Regular readers of this column may have picked up on a trend. Many of the funds I have highlighted have, to a greater or lesser degree, focused on the urbanisation of Emerging Markets.
Act now to avoid the care home lottery
Published: 13 October 2007
James Daley: Inheritance tax? It's perfectly fair
Published: 13 October 2007
Alistair Darling's tinkering with the Inheritance Tax rules, in this week's pre-Budget report, was not nearly as big a deal as he, or most commentators, made it out to be. In a nutshell, it's now possible to pool your inheritance tax allowance of £300,000 with your spouse or civil partner – something that it's been possible to do with a bit of clever tax planning for many years. The only real difference is that it's now much simpler.
Care where your cash ends up? Invest ethically
Published: 13 October 2007
Private Investor: In search of a growth engine? Just Google it
Published: 13 October 2007
One of the joys of the new technologies and the liberalisation of retail financial markets is that buying stocks in faraway places is easier – and cheaper – than ever.
With loans, the devil is always in the detail
Published: 13 October 2007
No Pain, No Gain: Shareholder democracy is being priced into oblivion
Published: 13 October 2007
Small investors often get a raw deal. I think it is fair to say that the City establishment regards them as a necessary evil that has to be tolerated to provide an illusion of democracy.
Questions Of Cash: 'EasyCar's mistake was costly – now I want a full refund'
Published: 13 October 2007
Q. In April I booked a car through EasyCar for two weeks for pick-up and drop-off at Nice airport. I was told the vehicle would be supplied by Budget. On arrival, Budget told me there was no booking and no cars were available. I called EasyCar which confirmed it had made a mistake and was unable to fulfil the contract. Hertz rented us a car at €1,039.83 for two weeks, compared with the €547.86 that EasyCar had agreed. EasyCar has paid me just €114.57 of the extra costs, refusing to pay me the balance because it includes "additional insurance supplements" – but so did the EasyCar charge. I think EasyCar is being unreasonable. CC, Godalming.
Thrifty Living: Sweet reason is lost along with the muffin top
Published: 13 October 2007
suddenly, the sight of Louis Theroux attacking his flabby abs via liposuction is brought climactically into my house by the arrival of Spendthrift Janie, who turns up for a cup of coffee. Note: in an attempt to save money we have given up drinking coffee at Carluccio's, since it invariably extended to a search for extra-virgin olive oil and artichokes at the deli counter, plus a recce in the neighbouring shoe shop and ended up costing, on occasions, about £200 a pop.
The Week In Review: Regent Inns unfazed by smoking ban
Published: 13 October 2007
It always looked like the pub and bar industry was approaching the smoking ban in England and Wales with confidence bordering on arrogance. And so it has proved, with the wet summer, lack of any major sporting events, and the smoking ban all helping to hit beer sales across the UK.
Non-Domiciles: Wealthy foreigners hitby £30,000 annual charge
Published: 10 October 2007
The Government unveiled a crackdown on wealthy non-domiciled residents who pay little or no tax in the UK yesterday, introducing a £30,000 annual charge for those who have been resident in the country for more than seven years.
Insurance: Insurers hit out at flood 'failures'
Published: 10 October 2007
Insurers launched a savage attack on the Government yesterday, accusing ministers of "letting down millions of homeowners and businesses" over flood defences.
Capital Gains Tax: Boost for thousands of people with second homes
Published: 10 October 2007
Thousands of second-home owners and wealthier individuals were among the winners from yesterday's pre-Budget report, after the Government unveiled plans to slash the rate of capital gains tax from 40 to 18 per cent.
Inheritance Tax: Darling's promise: no inheritance tax on family estates worth less than £700,000
Published: 10 October 2007
The Government moved to regain the initiative in the debate over inheritance tax yesterday, by doubling the threshold beyond which families will have to start paying the tax when their relatives die.
In an Atlantic storm should you head for the Asia Pacific?
Published: 07 October 2007
Middle Britain flocks to 'safe house' NS&I;
Published: 07 October 2007
Debt alert: don't join the university of hard knocks
Published: 07 October 2007
Snap to it: there's a gallery in cyberspace for your shots
Published: 07 October 2007
Julian Knight: Don't leave inheritance tax to our honourable friends
Published: 07 October 2007
Opinion polls suggest the Tories may have played a bit of a blinder by promising to up the threshold at which inheritance tax (IHT) is paid from £300,000 to £1m.
Wealth Check: Stretch and pray: how can they escape from financial peril?
Published: 07 October 2007
The patients
Stamp duty and IHT on Tory hit list
Published: 07 October 2007
As election fever mounts, the Tories have laid out radical plans to cut taxes.
£264m lost as fraudsters regain initiative by using plastic abroad
Published: 07 October 2007
Credit and debit card fraud has risen sharply, according to the Association for Payment Clearing Services (Apacs).
Bank stands firm as the high street falters
Published: 07 October 2007
The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted to leave UK interest rates on hold at 5.75 per cent last week. The decision had been widely predicted by City analysts but was nevertheless greeted with dismay by retailers.
Billions unclaimed as pensioners are befuddled by benefits system
Published: 07 October 2007
Confusion over the UK benefits system is stopping pensioners from claiming much-needed cash, according to Age Concern.
New credit card court challenge
Published: 07 October 2007
Lloyds TSB, Tesco Personal Finance and American Express went to the House of Lords last week to try to overturn a major piece of legislation designed to protect consumers.
