Everyone wants their savings to work harder, and for British expats offshore bonds are a good way to squeeze every penny out of an investment. Offshore bonds are effectively a portfolio of up to 100 insurance policies that hold savings in a tax-efficient wrapper. The main advantage of saving into an offshore bond is ‘gross … Read more
Most expats are so worried about local health care standards in the countries where they are on assignment that they have emergency plans to go home if they fall seriously ill. New research found that 84% of expat men needed health care while living abroad, with 72% expressing concerns about standards and two-thirds ready to … Read more
Apple has released a new version of the iPhone aimed at offering a more affordable version of the market-leading smartphone. The iPhone SE starts at £419 – around half the price of many other iPhones. The device features a 4.7-inch retina display and touch ID for enhanced security. Apple says the iPhone SE is re-engineered from … Read more
Share prices around the world have dropped after a potential wonder drug for treating coronavirus failed medical trials in China. Medics have pinned their hopes on Gilead Sciences treatment remdesivir offering a respite from the pandemic. But researchers in China reported the drug had no discernible effect on coronavirus patients despite test results to the … Read more
A hush-hush tax probe is underway to stop wealthy investors avoiding inheritance tax with family investment companies. HM revenue & Customs set up a special unit to investigate family offices a year ago. The FICs are believed to manage more than £1 trillion in assets which are escaping IHT by exploiting legal loopholes. The main … Read more
Expats will soon collect their coding notices from the tax man, but what does the strange jumble of numbers and letters mean? Recently, tax codes have changed depending on which country in the UK where someone lives. For expats, the tax coding will appear on a Form P60 from HM Revenue & Customs which lets … Read more
If you watch how you spend your money and try hard to save, there ‘s one trick you may be missing – shareholder perks. Investors do not have to plough wads of money into a company to qualify for extra discounts and exclusive deals. In fact, they may be a lot cheaper than you think. … Read more
As the new decade starts to build up steam, many people will be thinking about their finances, work prospects and plans for retirement. There’s a lot to consider about giving up work – from whether to stop completely or to keep a hand in by going part-time. If you are thinking about retirement, here are … Read more
The number of women aged 65 and over falling into bad debt has almost doubled in the past 10 years. In 2018, 2,082 women were found bankrupt or had to enter a voluntary arrangement to pay off what they owed – 88% on the 1,109 in 2008 who faced the same financial problems. Over the … Read more
Dirty air in buy to let homes is the net issue on the agenda for hard-pressed landlords. From next year, property investors must tell renters about pollution levels in their homes before a tenancy starts. The measure is part of ‘material property information’ landlords and home sellers must make available to potential tenants or buyers … Read more