Blog | Posts by Clive Barwell

Whilst overall divorce rates are falling in the UK as a whole, the number of those divorcing who are over 60 is increasingly significant

Here at Yorkshire Prestige Car Brokers we understand that for many people, especially those who are elderly or who have little knowledge of how the motor trade works, changing their car can be a stressful experience.

An Individual Savings Account (ISA) is a “wrapper” for cash and/or investments which confers some valuable tax benefits to UK resident savers and investors.

Unlike investing money for yourself, where caveat emptor – “let the buyer beware” – applies, investing as a Trustee is governed by a whole series of rules and regulations, which you ignore at your peril.

You may consider that Granny can no longer safely live in her own home and that she needs to go into a Care Home, but if the Local Authority doesn’t share that view, there will be no contribution to costs, regardless of whether Granny would qualify on financial grounds alone.

Whilst Granny’s home doesn’t have to be sold during her lifetime, it may well still need to be sold after her death to repay the debt.

The key issue is that of inflation and the “real value” of money on deposit. If inflation averages just 2½% per annum, the value of the pound in your pocket reduces by one-quarter every 12-years. Even with interest accumulating, with rates as low as those currently available, particularly after tax, those balances are not keeping pace with inflation.

That’s the whole story in a nutshell. Investment is really not that complicated. In fact, the more complicated that people make it sound the more you should be sceptical.

Brussels IV is the solution to the forced heirship provisions, which can currently thwart the best laid plans of British Will-makers. However, what many people are not aware of is that the new rules will only benefit those British nationals who have taken appropriate action during their lifetime by drafting a new Will.

All forms of investment carry some degree of risk and whilst I don’t want to understate the risk of investing in shares quoted on the AIM, I will argue that the step-up from investing in shares quoted on the London Stock Exchange is not that great, if fundamental investing principles are followed.

In Inheritance Tax – Mitigation using Business Property Relief – I introduced both Business Property Relief (BPR) and the concept of this being available to non-entrepreneurs. In this article, I will begin to explore the use of BPR products, which have been put together by specialist Investment Managers to bring BPR relief from IHT to […]

Written under a simple family trust, the policy proceeds then cost-effectively compensates the beneficiaries for some or all of the IHT on death.

Unfortunately, whilst coping with the trauma of someone dying, there are some practical things you need to do.  This article deals with the key elements. Registering the death It is a legal requirement that the death is registered as soon as possible, certainly within 5-days in England.  You can find the local Register Office at this […]

All of the emotions we feel about our loss must be expressed and processed if we’re to eventually get on with our lives.

Equity release is the term used to describe a range of financial products which allow people aged 55 or over to access cash that is tied up in their home. The money can be released either as a lump sum, in a number of small amounts, or as a combination of the two. The options […]

In the summer budget of 2015, the Chancellor announced measures for which the headline was an increase in the Nil Rate Band for Inheritance Tax to £1m, but is this true and, if so, who will benefit?

Over a lifetime we spend our time working hard to provide for our loved ones and making a Will ensures that when you die your estate – property, possessions, savings and investments – are shared according to your wishes. A Will is important for everyone but even more so if you have children, own property, […]

How to cap the cost of your funeral whilst protecting your loved ones from financial stress at the time of a bereavement.

With the average annual cost of paying for nursing home fees already at £39,000, according to recent analysis¹ this could rise to £69,500 by 2035 if current trends continue. This huge increase has been mainly attributed to the implementation of the National Living Wage which rose from £7.83 to £8.21 per hour in April 2019, […]

Many Timeshare contracts are ‘in perpetuity’, and will pass onto the next of kin. Fees have to be paid regardless of whether the Timeshare is used or not.