Step-Up Finance
Is It a Gift or a Present? It`s a Wrap. A tour guide was showing a tourist around London. The guide pointed out the place in Trafalgar Square where The Queen supposedly threw coins as a girl. “That’s impossible”, said the tourist. “She couldn’t throw a coin that far!” ”You have to remember,” answered the guide, “Money went a lot further in...
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Market News Visit England indicates that UK holidays have become more popular this year, which is good news for the holiday-let market. However, the tax treatment of this sector is set to change next April. Since 1984, property owners have enjoyed the same tax advantages as those running other tourism businesses, enabling entrepreneur, holdover and rollover relief’s from CGT purposes....
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Market News The Financial Services Authority Mortgage Market Review could lead to higher interest rates and product fees for borrowers, according to Fitch Ratings. While Fitch welcomes proposals in the MMR which would improve underwriting practices, it says that putting more stringent underwriting criteria in place could mean a significant change to current practices for some lenders. The...
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Reel in Finance The clocks have gone back, the heating is being wound up and curtains are being closed as we all prepare to hibernate. But why do we have to forego a third of our year, every year, confining ourselves to the TV set? Pantomime Season is around the corner (Oh yes it is!) so there will be much entertainment around of that ilk, however there is certainly one night for us that...
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Murder in the Dark “Mama Told Me Not to Come“ sang The Animals, Three Dog Night and later Tom Jones with the Stereophonics. Ambiguous lyrics run through and a mantra repeats that it was a Mama who had forewarned of potential trouble. The earliest version gives an air of discovering something unknown, the following version hints at fear with elements of hesitance, the final version...
read moreMarket Update The Institute for Financial Planning has discovered, from their Poll during Financial Planning Week, that 90% of a 30 – 44 age group did not review their financial plans regularly and 68% overall didn`t make a review. No matter what the poll, or the numbers, the sentiments remain. The Government`s Stamp Duty exemption soon comes to an end 31st December at which point...
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Market Update: The British Bankers Association has issued figures showing a Gross rise in mortgage lending of £0.3Bn for July 2009. For the same period the Net rise is shown as £1.6Bn; with £2.2Bn for June & £2.9Bn over the last six month period. Total loans for July were £9.7Bn of which £5.2Bn was represented by 38,141 house purchase loans, an increase upon June of 2,577. Re-mortgage...
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Sins Ain’t What They Used To Be As the Roman calendar names September as simply Septem, month seven, with no reference to the usual God or hero, we’re been reminded about how barren the world of finance is of Gods and heroes and thought it would be an opportunity to give consideration to Seven, in terms of finance in this unprecedented year, deadly sins. Pride : Having an excessive belief in...
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