ISAs

ISAs

ISAs

20

February, 2020

ISAs
Tax Year
Cash ISA
Stocks and Shares

It seems fair to suggest that everyone would like to put aside a bit of extra money when they can, and an ISA could be a smart way to do so. With the extra positive that they come with tax free interest, ISAs can be an efficient way of making your money work for you.

So, what is an ISA?

ISA stands for Individual Savings Account – it’s a tax efficient way of investing or saving your hard-earned money. Unlike a savings account where your savings are only tax free up to a certain point, an ISA is consistent in keeping any interest you make on your savings tax free.

The table below presents how the tax allowance has risen over the past decade, demonstrating the consistency in expansion which could only grow.

Which ISA is best for me?
ISAs are avaliable to anyone once you turn 16 and if you wait just that little bit longer, until you’re 18, you can open a Lifetime ISA. This ISA is the ideal option for a first-time buyer, if the property your looking into buying is worth £450,000 or less. Whatever you pay in, the government pays a 25% bonus monthly, meaning you see your money grow quicker. It does however have to have been open for a year minimum before you can use it, but if you aren’t in any rush to buy a property it could be a great option.

Although you are capped to £4000 annually, ISAs aggregate so you can still pay £16,000 into any other ISAs you have. If you’ve opened the Lifetime ISA but decide not to use the money for a property, you can also use it for your pension which you will be able to access when you reach 60.

One of the only drawbacks to this ISA is if you want to withdraw the money for something other than these two things you will be charged 25% to do so. To open this ISA, you must be 18-40 and can keep paying into it until you’re 50.  After this point, you will still receive interest on your savings, but no bonus will be given. If you die, the ISA terminates on the date of your death and there are no charges to withdraw the money.

But there are many types of ISAs available, so you have options and flexibility to find the right fit for your money.

“There are many types of ISAs available, so you have options and flexibility to find the right fit for your money.”

These other types of ISAs include:

Cash ISA
Like a normal savings account only the interest is tax free it comes in a few different varieties including:

Easy Access – which allows you the freedom to withdraw cash at any time.
Fixed Rate – Which guaantees you a fixed rate for a term that suits you, but withdrawing cash can be tricky.
Regular Savers Cash ISA – These are great for shorter term savings goals with the downside being the low interest rates.

Stocks and shares ISA
This type of ISA allows you to invest in stocks and shares. They usually have higher interest rates so you can grow your money quicker, however, there is also a chance of losing money as the value of your investment can fluctuate. 

This ISA is great for long term saving and the money becomes an investment.  A product such as this is available on i-stock, provides you with an easy, efficient way to monitor and protect your money.

Junior ISA
This is an ISA designed with your children in mind to help them start growig a nest egg of their own. Although you must be the parent/legal guardian to open the ISA, you’ll be happy to know it’s not just you who can pay into it, any relative or friend can. While the allowance for the Junior ISA is capped at £4,368, this stays separate from your own allowance of £20,000, so you can maximize their savings as well as yours. With help from our “Summer of Money” blog, you can teach your children to look after their own ISA savings, the best way.

How much can I put into my ISA? 
A tax year runs from April to April, this is the time that you must use up your ISA allowance of £20,000. If you don’t use it, you lose it – so if you were hoping to add on any unspent allowance into the next tax year, you can’t. However, you do get a fresh allowance of £20,000. You can then split this amongst multiple ISAs simultaneously, however you are limited to one of each type of ISA. For example, you could be paying into a Cash ISA but could also pay into Lifetime ISA, these would all be under the capped allowance of £20,000 for the tax year.

Can you withdraw money from your ISA?
Sometimes we need that extra bit of cash now that we wanted to save for later, and that’s something your ISA understands. Other than a Lifetime ISA you can withdraw money without losing the tax benefits. With some flexible ISAs you can even pay the money back in without it being deducted from your years allowance.

With the ISA available on i-stock, you can withdraw your deposit at any time with no penalties or fees.

Can you transfer your ISA?
An ISA transfer is when you decide to move your ISA from one provider to another which you can do as often as you like.

With some ISA providers, you could find yourself locked into a minimum investment period. But with a i-stock ISA, as well as being free to run, there is no minimum period and your cash is never ‘locked’. This means you can withdraw todays money, tomorrow, keeping you safe in the knowledge that your cash is always accessible to you. Why not transfer all your ISAs into one central account as it can minimize your cost of investing. You can do this quickly and simply through i-stock, eliminating any hurdles.

The end of the tax year is coming around fast. This is prime time to use your allowance up to get ready to open a new ISA. It could be a viable option for anyone looking to save long term.

They are one of the best options for the protection and growth of your savings keeping them far outside the reach of the tax man, with any interest earned on top of the savings you have already accumulated being yours, and yours alone.

PROVIDING NEWS AND VIEWS TO SUIT ALL NEEDS

This Blog is published and provided for informational purposes only. The information in the Blog constitutes the author’s own opinions. None of the information contained in the Blog constitutes a recommendation that any particular investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.

Back to School

Back to School

Back to School

05

September, 2019

Future
Investing
Teaching Kids

Summer is finally drawing to a close, and parents all-round the UK are probably breathing a secret sigh of relief for the return of a routine and no more desperate attempts for entertainment without breaking the bank. The holidays can be pricey, not only with the various activities, but with preparing for the new school year. We’ve explored a few ways you could save yourself a few pennies at this time of year.

1. Get Smart

There’s no denying that to ensure your children have an education, you’re going to be spending more money. There are uniforms to buy, packed lunches to pay for, school trips and so much more. But hopefully, it’s all worth it in the end!
If you decide that you want to send your child to an independent school, then you’ll also have to include school fees in this list.

But one benefit is that growing up works on a timeline.  There are those key five years before they start school where you can get saving and hopefully put enough money aside for everything they’ll need at school.  You can then keep using their landmarks as your own financial guide; when they move on to secondary school, if they go to college or university etc.

If you want to send your child to private school, you’ll looking at an average cost of about £17,000 a year, and if your child does want to venture on to higher education, then you’ll likely be paying around £9,000 a year for tuition, and about the same for living costs.  This does vary between where they decide to go, and what route they decide to take.

University fees may be covered by a student loan, though of course that must be paid off eventually.

2. Look into ways you can invest

With this time frame, you might be able to start investing with a bit of risk. Regular savings accounts like Stocks & Shares ISAs offer more growth over a long period of time, with a higher interest.

3. Beating low income

A lot of areas offer a lot of support if you’re not earning the big bucks. These can help cover the cost of school meals, transport and uniforms.

You can also get help with the cost of extra-curricular activities to really boost your child’s experience. These benefits can come from Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Universal Credit, Income Support or Income based Jobseeker’s allowance, and can be provided by your Local Education Authority.

4. Get ahead of student payments

There are many ways you can save yourself a good amount as a student, such as travel cards, vouchers and discount cards and of course, getting yourself a sufficient bank and savings account. It’s worth passing these tips on to the next generation as well. Not only are these tools a good way of saving money, but a life saver at university is the student loan.

You only have to pay this back once you start earning over a certain amount after graduation and interest varies, depending on your income. If you need more information on how to survive as a student, read our “Flying the Nest” guide.

PROVIDING NEWS AND VIEWS TO SUIT ALL NEEDS

This Blog is published and provided for informational purposes only. The information in the Blog constitutes the author’s own opinions. None of the information contained in the Blog constitutes a recommendation that any particular investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.

Bank of Mum and Dad

Bank of Mum and Dad

Bank of Mum and Dad

16

September, 2019

Bank of Mum and Dad
Mortgages
Savings

The reality for many young adults nowadays is that they can’t leave home without The Bank of Mum & Dad. 

The amount of up-front costs involved in buying a home, slow wage growth and an unpredictable housing market are making home ownership seem a distant dream to many without dipping into ‘the Bank of Mum and Dad’.

Over £6 billion is reportedly ‘borrowed’ from parents a year, to help finally get onto the property ladder. *
But what does this really mean, and what are all the routes available for parents and aspiring first-time buyers?

1. What is the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’?

The term ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ is a little misleading, as few parents act like a bank. Only around 15% of those who help with mortgages take financial or legal advice and there is usually no written record of transactions**. Research has also found that they don’t discuss repayment arrangements and there is rarely any interest included.
There are many special mortgage options available for these situations; but how do they all work?

2. Building a deposit

Gifting some money is one of the easiest ways that parents can help their children buy a home. A deposit is typically up to 20% of the value of the property – normally meaning at least £15,000 needs to be ready before you even get the house. A cash input from parents at this stage is probably the most helpful.

3. Parents who want to help, but can’t give that much away

Those who help their offspring on to the property ladder are not always high earners. Many are pensioners, or at least semi-retired, so have built up their wealth through savings, home ownerships, inheritances and investments. Parents may not always be in a position to give away any large sum straight away, but one alternative may be to set up an agreement that the money will be paid shortly, or a loan agreement to repay the money monthly. Make sure you let a mortgage adviser know about these plans, they can be included in any applications you have.

4. Can parents still help if they don’t have any spare cash?

Family deposit mortgages help parents use any equity in their home (this is the amount of the house that they own outright) to provide a deposit with a low interest rate. It’s always advisable to contact a mortgage adviser to make sure you find a suitable deal for you and your family.

5. What other options are there for parents to help their offspring get a mortgage?

Parents often act as guarantors for home purchases to boost the amount that can be borrowed for a first-time purchase. A guarantor mortgage uses parents’ assets and income as security.  This type of mortgage means parents are responsible for the loan, even if their child misses the repayment, it’s them who will have to cover the cost.

Another possible route is an offset mortgage.  This loan keeps cash savings in a mortgage linked account, meaning that there is less interest to pay on the final mortgage amount.  For example, if you take out a loan of £150000, with £20,000 in your saving account, interest would only be applied to £130,000, making overall monthly payments lower.

Your home may repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

PROVIDING NEWS AND VIEWS TO SUIT ALL NEEDS

This Blog is published and provided for informational purposes only. The information in the Blog constitutes the author’s own opinions. None of the information contained in the Blog constitutes a recommendation that any particular investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.

Flying the Nest

Flying the Nest

FLYING THE NEST

07

August, 2019

University
Life Changes

Becoming a university student involves a lot of life changes. Not only are you learning a whole new subject, making new friends and getting used to a new city, but you also need to start learning how to pay bills and how to find the money to have fun! We have pulled together a quick guide to ease you in to living independently. 

1. Should you live in house or halls?

There are several options for living accommodation when it comes to university.  If you’re not moving to a new city, maybe you can stay at home, but it’s a good idea to stretch your wings a little and really experience the university experience.  Living on campus in halls is often a popular choice for the first year of higher education, or you could move straight into private accommodation.  There are pros and cons for both these options, but both depend on what kind of preferences you have.

Living amongst your fellow students can make the whole experience a little less scary than going it alone as others are in the same boat as you.  You can bounce off each other, reassure each other, and hopefully, start making friendships that last a lifetime. And you also won’t have to worry about regular bill payments, rent etc as it’ll all have been paid as part of your enrolment. On the downside, it can be a distraction from studying, or you could be matched with people with different interests to yourself.

When it comes to flat-share or a house share, you’re thrown straight into becoming your own boss, and getting stuck into adult life.  Bills will need to be paid, and in the same way as halls, you’ll be in charge of your own meals and washing. A negative of this set up however is being apart from the support system of a campus, you never know when you might need a friend, especially in these early days of your new life.

2. Do you need to get a job at university?

Having a regular income at university is mostly a good idea. Not only will it start getting you used to being in a working environment, but it’ll also provide a little more funding for your lifestyle.  But many may struggle with negotiating studies around working – make sure you are able to manage your schedule effectively before you take on more responsibility. Industries normally littered by students are bar work, service industry jobs, shop work. They’re quite flexible and help earn a little extra cash. Some universities may even have vacancies on campus, in student bars or libraries. These may be a little more understanding about your study time as well.  Online research groups and freelancer work could also be a source for extra cash; after all, if you spend most of your time online anyway, why not make some money!

3. Paying bills
Ahhh, the dreaded bills. A downside of growing up if ever there was one. But although it’s easy to start feeling swamped by them, there are lots of ways to deal with them and paying them will soon become an unnoticed habit.

  • What type of bills will there be?
    Utilities – These involve electricity, gas and water. Take the time to peruse the providers available for these to ensure you get the best deal. Make sure you divide these costs if you live in a house-share, (sharing bills should be a rule set on day one!)
    Essentials (Well, at least the essentials in today’s world!) – Internet, TV Licences and TV packages.

“Bills…A downside of growing up if ever there was one.”

4. One of the best bits – the FUN!
Obviously higher education comes with a great deal of fun, as well as studying. The downtime is just as important as the learning for life experience after all! So making sure you have enough pennies to enjoy these nights out is crucial, overdrafts can only get you so far! Some tips on how to save where you can while having fun:

  • Streaming sites: These services avoid “necessary” trips to the pub to sneak a watch of your teams’ big game. You’re sure to only spend money while out. Streaming services can provide decent packages for a small monthly charge, and you can cancel very quickly and easy as well, if it all starts to get too much.
  • Free events: Many universities hold free events, or at least events with free food and drink, so have a little look around campus to see what you can find.
  • Travel light: One of the most expensive elements of higher education is the travel between a family home and campus. Or even just your student digs and campus if the city is quite vast. The first thing you should make sure you have in your purse or wallet is a Student Railcard (16-25’s eligible). Another way of travelling on a budget is to use a coach if available – National Express offers very cheap journeys, but make sure you factor in a much longer journey, and the fact that you’ll be on a coach!
  • Deals: Let’s face it, a student night is not complete without a good 2 for 1! Saving a bit on every drink is always going to helpful but remember…all in moderation!

If you bear these tips in mind, you should be set for your first year out of the nest. Now you’ll have an idea of what your parents have been doing for you for so long, so make sure you don’t forget them back at home and check in!

PROVIDING NEWS AND VIEWS TO SUIT ALL NEEDS

This Blog is published and provided for informational purposes only. The information in the Blog constitutes the author’s own opinions. None of the information contained in the Blog constitutes a recommendation that any particular investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.

Money Talk: No Longer Taboo

Money Talk: No Longer Taboo

MONEY TALK: NO LONGER TABOO

28

June, 2019

Finances
Investing

Talking about money and personal finances is perhaps one of the most classic British taboos*.  As the saying goes: “There are two things you never talk about in life: money and politics”.   

However, in an era where people are much more open talking about a variety of topics, why does ‘money talk’ still have to be secret? Why is it still considered taboo and almost crude? Is there anything that can help us get the conversations flowing?

Even amongst family, people would prefer to avoid the subject of money, in fact 43% of people don’t know how much their partner earns, and 36% are unaware of how much their other half has managed to save**. People would rather talk about almost literally anything, from marriage problems to religion, than bring up the topic of money.

It’s possible that these feelings towards ‘money talk’ are simply a hangover from an era where all money worries were pretty much handled for you. A more patriarchal era where your company watched over your pension, and even those on modest salaries could afford to buy their own homes. ***

But as we all know, times have most definitely changed, and financial security responsibility often falls as a deadweight on an individual’s shoulders, (shout out to high house prices, student debt and insecure job prospects for that one!)These troublesome times may have left many struggling to even build a savings account that they feel rivals their peers. Investing accounts seem like an untouchable deity.

You can read more about how society changes influence on different generations in our blog, ‘millennials vs baby boomers’.

If you aren’t talking about money, there are simply too many things you may be missing out on or paying way over the odds for. Talking about things like rent, expenses, what higher salary could be available, are all topics that if discussed, could help improve your financial situation. We’re not saying share the inner workings of your tax return with the stranger next to you on the tube (although, of course, you are more than free to do so if the mood so takes you), but it could be important to talk to your nearest and dearest about costs you are questioning, simply to get another perspective.

“Building money conversations into our everyday lives could help make us resilient to whatever the future may throw at us.”

Talking about money is also vital for our health and relationships.  It ensures people make better financial decisions, develop stronger personal relationships, help children form good lifetime habits and feel less stressed and more in control of their finances, and in the long run, their life. ****.

Building money conversations into our everyday lives could help make us resilient to whatever the future may throw at us, be it a sudden income change or a dramatic life event.

However, it seems in social circles that people don’t like to talk about money, because it all becomes “too real”.  Perhaps there’s a certain level of self-awareness that comes with bringing up the topic; a sense of bragging or, if you’re short of money, awkwardness.

Another reason for avoidance could be confidence. UK school curriculars may soon feature Financial education*****, meaning perhaps the next generation will be a little clued up about money. However, there are many adults now who feel they lack a basic understanding of money and therefore don’t want to discuss it and avoid it at all costs.

The world of finance is daunting, (at Tavistock Investments Plc we understand that!) but it doesn’t have to be. You can also read more of our education blogs here to see how understandable the topic can actually be.

If things like average salaries, how much rent someone is paying or even car insurance are shared, knowledge around the subject builds, and the whole topic becomes less daunting. These comparisons may even lead to more savings for individuals.

As the world changes, so must our attitude towards money and our willingness to open up about our finances. The only way to change tradition is to go against the norm. Start the process today and join the revolutionary thinking.

PROVIDING NEWS AND VIEWS TO SUIT ALL NEEDS

This Blog is published and provided for informational purposes only. The information in the Blog constitutes the author’s own opinions. None of the information contained in the Blog constitutes a recommendation that any particular investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.

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