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Retirement saving targets – still too low The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has been crunching the numbers on the adequacy of pension contributions. One of the unremarked government successes of the 2010s was the introduction of automatic enrolment of employees into pension schemes. The first automatic enrolment contributions were made in October 2012 under…

An update on cash savings Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) publishes a review of the cash savings market following evidence of some dubious tactics at work. While the use of paper cash is declining as a means of payment, the need to retain a cash reserve remains as strong as ever. We all need some ‘rainy…

We Made It into the NMA Top 100! Henson Crisp has been recognised in the NMA Top 100. We're incredibly proud to announce that Henson Crisp has been recognised as in the NMA Top 100 Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) firms in the UK by New Model Adviser. Out of 5,805 firms nationwide, we’re thrilled to…

The 2025 State Pension increase We now have a clear understanding of how much the main State Pension will increase next April. That the State Pension triple lock was not going to change was a consistent commitment in the election manifestos of all major political parties – Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats. In truth, once…

The cryptic arm of the taxman Investors in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin should not forget the tax consequences of their digital wallets, says HMRC. HMRC regularly boosts tax receipts by nudging taxpayers who are suspected of filling out their tax returns incorrectly or failing to submit a return when one is due. The warning, sent as…

Budget 2024 Overview: Key Announcements and Tax Changes The Autumn Statement, Labour's first in over 14 years and referred to as the "Mega Budget," has been released. Rachel Reeves has addressed various speculations and made notable announcements. Below is a clear breakdown of what was announced and when the changes will come into effect. Key…

Personal Savings Allowance – Are you over the threshold? Now that we’re halfway through the 2024/25 tax year, it’s important to take a look at your savings and the interest they are generating. One aspect that may sometimes be overlooked is the Personal Savings Allowance (PSA). This allowance determines how much interest you can earn…

2024 – the year of two Budgets Many chancellors ago, in November 2016, Philip Hammond announced an end to spring Budgets and their replacement with autumn Budgets. At the time it seemed a sensible idea to allow changes in tax to be legislated before the start of the new tax year. In practice, it did…

Capital gains tax: a minority sport? Will increased capital gains tax (CGT) mean less tax gets paid? Source HMRC The Labour Party’s 2024 manifesto said, ‘We will not increase National Insurance, the basic, higher, or additional rates of Income Tax, or VAT.’ The absence of any comment on CGT meant that Rachel Reeves received persistent…

Prepaying/repaying student loans Are student loans something to avoid? With the 2024/25 academic year on the horizon, student finance is again a hot topic for many parents. How hot differs slightly for the UK’s four nations as each has a subtly different way of funding students and, outside Scotland, their tuition fees. However, the broad…