Latest articles by Laura Miller
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Cash ISA savings surged to £70 billion as savers grabbed higher rates – but could the best deals be disappearing?
Almost 10 million people put money in cash ISAs in 2023/24 as UK interest rates climbed to 5.25% – but a series of cuts could mean inflation is eating away at your savings now
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Families suffer £20,000 lost income growth – are you feeling the pinch?
Average incomes for working age families have increased by just 7% in the past two decades, research suggests
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State pension age rises hurt this group the most – should we be working longer?
The government wants us working longer to boost the economy and reduce the state pension bill – but previous increases in state pension age have not been felt equally
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How to sell a property that floods – ways to avoid a 31% hit to your asking price
Flood risks can knock up to a third off the value of your home when you come to sell but there are ways to soften to blow
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Thousands of savers with £250k pensions take cash over tax-free money and IHT fears
With a record £70 billion withdrawn from pensions in the year to March, experts are concerned savers are making knee-jerk decisions without advice that could affect their long term wealth
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5 ways your boss can help boost your pension
Workplaces have a huge opportunity to make employees more aware of their pension options throughout their career – here’s how your employer can help boost your pot to help give you a more comfortable retirement
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Car finance compensation: FCA warns drivers against using rip off claims firms for share of £18bn
The FCA estimates most eligible motorists will receive around £950 in compensation per agreement – and said they won’t need a claims management company or law firm to access a redress scheme
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Landlords forecast to exit BTL market in droves – has the exodus started?
Smaller landlords are selling up in their tens of thousands, according to brokers, findings echoed by higher capital gains tax receipts on property. Is the era of the amateur landlord over?
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The 2% trick – how tiny pension top ups could add thousands to your retirement
A third of UK adults have increased their monthly pension contributions beyond the minimum, according to new research, putting them in line for a more comfortable retirement
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HMRC toughens checks on pension tax relief claims – could you be missing out on extra money?
The change is going to be a pain for some higher and additional rate taxpayers who are used to claiming already and who will now need to do some extra legwork
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Are you likely to run out of money in retirement?
Working out how much to withdraw from a pension can be tricky given the uncertainty when planning for living costs, investment returns and longevity.
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Which is best – buy-to-let or shares?
Buy-to-let property used to be a great investment, but it’s no longer a sure-fire way to make money.
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Disposable income divide – areas with the most and least cash at the end of the month
Not much left over after you’ve paid all your bills? You could be living in a low financial resilience area. Here’s what to do about it – and the picture across the country.
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How much do solar panels cost in the UK - and are they worth installing?
Solar panels are set to be at the forefront of the government’s plans to make the UK economy greener. But are they cost effective?
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Average savings for children by region – where does your area rank?
Parents amass thousands of pounds to give their children an advantage when getting onto the property ladder or paying for higher education – but the average amount varies across different regions
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Why your personality type could cost your pension £121k
Whether you’re a Type A or a Type B person could have a dramatic effect on your approach to retirement saving and so the size of your pension pot – here’s why
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Would you delay retirement to help your children through university?
Parents are missing out on as much as £45,000 that could have gone into their pensions because they are using that money to pay their children’s way through university, according to new research
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Family face £100k stamp duty bill after avoidance scheme crashes in court – the mistakes to avoid
A couple faces a substantial stamp duty bill after trying to reduce the amount they owed
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5 alternatives to Reeves’ inheritance tax raid on rural Britain as families face ‘splitting up or selling’ farms
Inheritance tax limits are now so low they attack small working family farms rather than just going after tax loopholes, one Cotswolds farmer has said
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Top financial priorities by age – and why a comfortable retirement may be out of reach
The cost of a comfortable retirement has risen, leaving it out of reach of even many of those who believe they are on track
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How inheritance tax trick is helping families save ‘six-figure sums’
Happy to skip a generation to save thousands on inheritance tax? A deed of variation could be the estate planning tool you need.
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Crypto assets of seven million UK investors at risk – how to keep yours safe
Cryptocurrency wallet rules make it hard to track down assets after someone has died, even if they leave a will saying who they would like to inherit them
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How to avoid the 14 year inheritance tax gifting trap
Inheritance tax rules are getting tighter and more families are trying to find ways to avoid a hefty bill. Giving money away is a common strategy – but if done wrong your loved ones could be on the hook with HMRC for almost a decade and a half.
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HMRC warning after scammers target 170k taxpayers – how to stay protected
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated methods to trick people into sharing personal details or paying for fake self assessment tax refunds
