‘Christmas comes early’ as inheritance tax receipts jump on threshold freeze Economics The amount of inheritance tax (IHT) brought in by the government ticked up to £600m in November, as frozen thresholds pushed more estates into paying the tax. “Christmas has come early for the government,” said Shaun Moore, tax and financial planning expert at Quilter, with the higher tax receipts allowing the amount the government borrowed [...]
Government borrowing plummets thanks to rising tax take Economics Government borrowing dropped to £11.4bn in November, £3.4bn lower than last year, as higher tax receipts and lower debt interest gave the government a much needed boost. With the lowest November borrowing in three years, the current budget deficit, or amount of borrowing to fund day-to-day public sector activities, also dropped by more than a [...]
Bleak midwinter for the economy? It could be worse… Opinion The political and economy outlook for the UK may seem gloomy, but spare a thought for our European counterparts, says Tim Sarson It’s the last working week of 2024 for many of us. I’ll be switching off the laptop on Friday afternoon and packing up for what I hope is a restful Christmas break, give [...]
Gary Lineker won’t be the last celebrity to fall foul of HMRC December 10, 2024 With the government’s efforts to close the tax gap, high profile individuals like celebrities, athletes and entertainers, are increasingly finding themselves under HMRC’s scrutiny, says Phil Clayton Gary Lineker is making the headlines once again – this time as a result of HMRC’s continued efforts to overturn the First Tier Tribunal’s (FTT’s) decision on £4.9m [...]
The government is steamrolling family farms December 2, 2024 Ministers appear to have got their understanding of farming from Ladybird books filled with smiling yokels on little red tractors, says Tim Bonner The starting point for trying to understand the current row over inheritance tax and agricultural land is that farming is an essentially illogical activity. The return on assets in farming businesses is [...]
Sea of tax changes? Why getting your ducks in a row on pensions is vital December 2, 2024 Inheritance tax changes may feel a long way away, but sooner is better when it comes to structuring your assets to pass on as much wealth as possible to your loved ones, says Duncan Bailey The Budget has given businesses and individuals much to consider with announcements made around spending, national insurance contributions for employers [...]
Jeremy Clarkson backpedals on previous claim he bought farm for tax reasons November 23, 2024 Jeremy Clarkson has backpedalled on his previous comments about why he bought his farm, saying he thought it would be a “better PR story if I said I bought it to avoid paying tax”. The TV presenter and journalist defied doctors’ orders by joining thousands of farmers in London on Tuesday to protest against agricultural [...]
Ahead of the Game: Lineker to score tax saving from company liquidation November 20, 2024 Goalhanger Films, which is co-owned by Lineker and former ITV controller Tony Pastor, has appointed a voluntary liquidator despite being a solvent company.
Non-doms: South Africa’s richest woman is fighting to stay in the UK November 18, 2024 When it comes to leaving countries in a hurry, Magda Wierzycka has plenty of experience. At just 12 years old, the South African entrepreneur and her parents fled their native Poland under the the cover of night, becoming refugees after its communist government declared martial law. Ending up in South Africa – via an Austrian [...]
How to protect your wealth from inheritance tax November 7, 2024 The inheritance tax regime is changing but don’t panic – plan. Here’s how… The Chancellor’s Budget featured many ambitious promises, bold changes, and, of course, cuts. Among these was a reform to Inheritance Tax (IHT), which is the levy applied to the estate of someone who has passed. By bringing inherited pensions into the scope [...]