How well is the tax relief on pensions understood? Research suggests not well at all, potentially undermining saving motivations. Of late, HMRC has been publishing past research that had previously been kept under wraps. One interesting document to emerge details research commissioned in 2015 by Ipsos – the opinion polling company – into the understanding of pension tax relief. Ipsos interviewed over 700 adults and found: · While nine in ten adults correctly believed th

Party(ing) politicians are held in low esteem at present, but there is one cross-party measure that deserves to be recognised – automatic pension enrolment. But its success shouldn’t be an excuse for complacency. Eighteen years ago, the Pensions Commission, set up by the Blair government, published its first report into UK pension provision. In 2005 a second report appeared, addressing the three “killer facts” highlighted by its predecessor: · More than half of UK priva

Changes to tax rules made some years ago could soon inflict financial pain as interest rates rise. In the post-election Budget of 2015, the then Chancellor, George Osborne, announced a surprise set of changes to the tax rules for buy-to-let (BTL) residential properties. The most significant was the treatment of interest on BTL mortgages. At the time, interest paid could be offset fully against rental income, meaning that the interest received full tax relief at up to 45%. The