2020 sees an old plan mature and its replacement given a boost. Be prepared to feel just a little old: the first Child Trust Funds (CTFs) will mature on 1 September this year, when their owners reach the age of 18. CTFs were first launched in 2005, when nearly every child born on or after 1 September 2002 became entitled to a government payment of up to £250 (£500 for those from lower income families). At the age of seven, a second state payment of £250/£500 was made until Au

One of the surprises in March’s Budget was that the Chancellor never mentioned inheritance tax (IHT) or expected simplification measures. Before 11 March there had been much speculation that the Budget would introduce changes to IHT. This was more than just the usual press kite-flying, as the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) had published two reports on the reform of the tax: the first emerged in 2018, with the second issued last July, in time for the Autumn Budget that nev

The first quarter of 2020 was a traumatic one for investors. 2020 started off well enough. Until the middle of February, most global share markets were flatlining as the year got underway. Then the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak suddenly expanded from a localised epidemic in Wuhan into a global issue. The reaction of most major stock markets was reminiscent of a certain Looney Tunes scene where Wile E Coyote races past the Road Runner only to find he has run off the edge of