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The gains you can make before potentially paying Capital Gains Tax (CGT) have halved for the 2024/25 tax year. If you plan to dispose of assets, the change could affect you. Read on to find out when you could be liable for CGT and some steps you might take to manage a bill.

CGT is a tax on the profit you make when you sell certain assets that have increased in value. CGT could be due when disposing of a range of assets, including:

Shares that aren’t held in a tax-efficient wrapper
Property that isn’t your main home
Personal possessions that are worth £6,000 or more, excluding your car.

The amount of profit you can make during the year before CGT is due has fallen significantly over the last couple of years.

The Annual Exempt Amount has fallen to £3,000 in 2024/25

According to research from the University of Warwick, less than 3% of UK adults paid CGT in the decade to 2020. In fact, in any given year, just 0.5% of adults were liable for CGT. Yet, the total amount paid through CGT tripled between 2010 and 2020 to £65 billion.

The government has substantially reduced the amount of profit you can make before CGT is due, so the number of people paying the tax could soar over the coming years.

In 2022/23, the amount you could make before CGT was due, known as the “Annual Exempt Amount”, was £12,300. This was reduced to £6,000 in 2023/24, and from 6 April 2024, it is reduced further to just £3,000.

If your total profits during the tax year exceed the Annual Exempt Amount, your CGT bill will depend on which tax band(s) the taxable gains fall into when added to your other income. In 2024/25, if you’re a:

Higher- or additional-rate taxpayer, your CGT rate will be 20% (24% on gains from residential property)
Basic-rate taxpayer, you may benefit from a lower CGT rate of 10% (18% on gains on residential property) if the taxable amount falls within the basic-rate Income Tax band.

So, if you have assets to sell, considering how to mitigate a potential bill could be valuable.

6 practical ways you could reduce your Capital Gains Tax bill

1. Time the sale of your assets

The Annual Exempt Amount cannot be carried forward to a new tax year if you don’t use it. Timing the disposal of your assets could help you make use of the allowance to minimise your bill. For instance, you might hold off selling an asset until a new tax year starts if you’ve already exceeded the Annual Exempt Amount in the current year.

2. Pass assets to your spouse or civil partner

The Annual Exempt Amount is an individual allowance, and you can pass assets to your spouse or civil partner without tax implications. So, if you’ve used your Annual Exempt Amount, transferring an asset to your partner before you dispose of it to use their allowance might be an option you want to consider.

3. Use your ISA to invest tax-efficiently

An ISA is a tax-efficient wrapper for saving or investing. Returns and profits made on investments held in an ISA are not liable for CGT. So, if you want to invest, choosing an ISA may help you mitigate a tax bill.

If you already hold investments outside of an ISA, you could sell the investments and immediately buy them back within your ISA. This strategy of moving your investments to a tax-efficient account is known as “Bed and ISA”.

In the 2024/25 tax year, you can add up to £20,000 to ISAs.

4. Use a pension for long-term investments

Like ISAs, pensions offer a tax-efficient way to invest – investments held in a pension are not liable for CGT.

In the 2024/25 tax year, the pension Annual Allowance is £60,000 for most people. This is the maximum amount you can pay into your pension during the tax year while still benefiting from tax relief. However, you can only claim tax relief on up to 100% of your annual earnings.

If you’ve already taken an income from your pension or are a high earner, your Annual Allowance could be as low as £10,000. If you’re not sure what your Annual Allowance is, please contact us.

The Annual Allowance can be carried forward for up to three tax years. So, if you’ve used all your Annual Allowance in 2024/25, you may want to review your pension contribution in previous tax years.

Before you boost your pension, considering your investment goals and time frame might be essential. You cannot usually access the money in your pension until you’re 55, rising to 57 in 2028, so it isn’t the right option for everyone.

5. Manage your taxable income

As mentioned above, basic-rate taxpayers may benefit from a lower rate of CGT if the gains fall within the basic-rate tax band. As a result, managing your taxable income to stay below Income Tax thresholds once expected profits are included could slash a CGT bill.

6. Deduct losses from your gains

It is possible to deduct losses from the profits you make. You must report the losses to HMRC by including them on your tax return. When you report a loss, the amount is deducted from the gains you make in the same tax year.

If your total taxable gain is still above the tax-free allowance, you can deduct unused losses from previous tax years. If the losses reduce your gain to the tax-free allowance, you can carry forward the remaining losses to a future tax year.

Contact us to talk about your tax liability

Whether you’d like to understand how you could reduce a potential CGT bill or you want to review your financial plan with tax efficiency in mind, please contact us. We could help you identify ways to cut your tax bill in 2024/25 and beyond.

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax planning.

As a business owner, deciding how to extract profits from your firm could be a crucial decision. It may affect your tax liability and that of your company. Read on to understand three essential ways you could take money from your business and potential tax implications you might want to weigh up before deciding which is the right route for you.

Many business owners will use a combination of the three options below to extract profit from their business to fund their day-to-day expenses and create long-term financial security.

1. Taking a salary

An obvious way to access profit from your business is to pay yourself a salary.

Paying yourself a salary from your business could help ensure you have a regular income to cover day-to-day expenses. A reliable income source could also make some situations more straightforward, such as applying for a mortgage. So, you might want to consider your short- and medium-term plans when deciding your salary.

In addition, you may also factor in how your salary could affect your tax liability. Your salary could be liable for Income Tax in the same way as other employees.

For the 2024/25 tax year, the Income Tax bands and rates are:

Income Tax allowances and rates are different in Scotland

Being mindful of the Income Tax thresholds might help you to manage your finances and avoid an unexpected bill.

As well as Income Tax, there could be other taxes and allowances you factor in. For instance, moving into a higher tax bracket could reduce your Personal Savings Allowance and lead to you paying tax on the interest your savings earn. In addition, high earners could be affected by the Tapered Annual Allowance, which reduces the amount you can tax-efficiently contribute to your pension.

If you would like to talk about the implications of your Income Tax bracket when setting your salary, please contact us.

2. Supplementing your income with dividends

Dividends could be a tax-efficient way to boost your salary. They provide a way to distribute company profits among its shareholders. So, when your business is doing well, dividends could supplement your other sources of income.

In 2024/25, the Dividend Allowance means you can take dividends up to £500 before tax is due. This allowance has fallen in recent years – it was £2,000 in 2022/23. So, if you’re a business owner who uses dividends to extract profits and haven’t reviewed your tax liability recently it could be a worthwhile task.

Dividends could prove valuable even if you exceed the Dividend Allowance due to the tax rate likely being lower than the rate of Income Tax.

The rate of tax you pay will depend on which Income Tax band(s) the dividends that exceed the allowance fall within once your other income is considered. For 2024/25, the Dividend Tax rates are:

Basic rate: 8.75%
Higher rate: 33.75%
Additional rate: 39.35%

It’s not possible to carry forward your Dividend Allowance if you don’t use it in the current tax year. So, making dividends a regular part of your income could be useful.

3. Making pension contributions

Making pension contributions could help secure your long-term finances. This is because a pension is a tax-efficient way to save for your retirement – the investment returns held in a pension aren’t liable for Capital Gains Tax.

In addition, your contributions benefit from tax relief at the highest rate of Income Tax you pay. So, if you’re a basic-rate taxpayer who wants to top-up your pension by £1,000, you’d only need to deposit £800.

Usually, your pension provider will automatically claim tax relief at the basic rate on your behalf. However, if you’re a higher- or additional-rate taxpayer, you’ll need to complete a self-assessment tax return to claim the full amount you’re eligible for.

As well as contributions from your salary, you can set up employer contributions from your business to support your retirement goals.

In 2024/25, the pension Annual Allowance is £60,000. This is the maximum you can pay into your pension while retaining tax relief. However, you can only claim tax relief on 100% of your annual earnings. All contributions count towards your Annual Allowance, including employer contributions and those made by other third parties.

Remember, you can’t usually access your pension until you’re 55 (rising to 57 in 2028). So, if you’re using pension contributions to extract profits from your business you may want to consider when you’ll want to access the money and your long-term plans.

Extracting profits tax-efficiently could reduce your business’s Corporation Tax bill

As well as your personal finances, you may want to incorporate your business’s tax liability when deciding how to extract profits.

Corporation Tax is paid on the profits you make, and some outgoings are allowable expenses that could be deducted during your calculations. Allowable expenses may cover employee salaries, including your own, and pension contributions. In addition, employer pension contributions are deducted before employer National Insurance is calculated.

If your company makes more than £250,000 profit during a tax year, you’ll usually pay the main rate of Corporation Tax, which is 25% in 2024/25. If your company made a profit of £50,000 or less, then you’ll pay the “small profits rate”, which is 19% in 2024/25.

You may be entitled to “marginal relief” if your profits are between £50,000 and £250,000. The relief provides a gradual increase in the Corporation Tax rate between the small profits rate and the main rate.

Keeping these thresholds in mind when you’re extracting profits from your business could help you make decisions that are tax-efficient for both you and your company.

Contact us to talk about your personal finances

As a business owner, your personal finances might be more complex. We could offer support and create a tax-efficient financial plan that reflects your circumstances and long-term goals, including your business exit strategy. Please contact us to arrange a meeting to discuss how we can help you.

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate tax planning.

A pension is a long-term investment not normally accessible until 55 (57 from April 2028). The fund value may fluctuate and can go down, which would have an impact on the level of pension benefits available. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

While inflation continues to be a challenge for many economies, there are positive signs in the UK and around the world. Read on to find out what may have affected stock markets and your investment portfolio in March 2024.

Remember, volatility is part of investing and most people should invest with a long-term outlook. If you have any questions about your investment strategy or performance, please contact us.

UK

In March, chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivered the 2024 Budget and set out the government’s spending and changes to taxation. One of the big announcements was a 2% cut to employee National Insurance, which follows a previous cut made in the 2023 Autumn Statement.

The Resolution Foundation, a thinktank, said pensioners were among the biggest losers in the Budget, as National Insurance is paid by workers but not people who are retired.

Investment bank Citigroup responded to the Budget by saying the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) was being too optimistic when it assumed productivity would grow by 0.9%. The organisation predicts a more modest 0.5% and said it means the UK could be “fiscally offside by around £50 – £60 billion”.

The OBR recognised that productivity has been poor since the 2008 financial crisis. In fact, growth has fallen from 2.5% a year to 0.5% – the economy would have been around 30% bigger today if the pre-2008 trend had continued.

David Miles, a member of the OBR, said the last 15 years have been so bad, that the next 5 to 10 years are likely to be a “bit better”. He particularly noted that AI could help boost productivity.

Inflation continued to fall in the 12 months to February 2024, with a rate of 3.4% – the lowest since September 2021.

Despite the positive news, the Bank of England (BoE) held its base interest rate at 5.25%. Huw Pill, chief economist at the BoE, said he believed more compelling evidence was needed before a cut would be made and it could be “some way off”.

The UK fell into a technical recession at the end of 2023, but the BoE said signs suggest it is already over.

Figures from the S&P Global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) also support this. Private sector growth hit a nine-month high in February, indicating that the recession was shallow. However, the manufacturing sector continued to face challenges, with PMI data showing weak demand and supply chain disruption are contributing to a downturn.

Despite figures from the Insolvency Service indicating businesses are struggling, as insolvencies hit a 30-year high in 2023, there is some good news for investors.

The FTSE 100 – an index of the 100 largest companies listed on the London Stock Exchange – hit a 10-month high on 21 March when it increased by around 1.1%. Mining stocks were among the main risers amid expectations that the US Federal Reserve will cut its base interest rate soon.

Greggs also saw its stock rise during March. The bakery chain revealed like-for-like sales increased by 13.7% in 2023, while pre-tax profits jumped 27% to £188.3 million. The firm added it expected another year of good progress in 2024.

Europe

According to data from Eurostat, inflation across the eurozone continued to fall in February 2024, when it was 2.6% compared to 2.8% a month earlier.

While many countries in Europe are battling high inflation, Turkey’s rate of inflation has consistently been in double digits since the end of 2019. In February, it hit a 15-month high of 67%. In a bid to cool the soaring cost of living, Turkey’s central bank increased its interest rate to 50%; this compares to a rate of 8.5% just a year ago.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index reached a record high on 13 March boosted by upbeat company results from the likes of energy supplier E.ON and retailer Zalando. Buoyant company forecasts indicate that businesses are feeling optimistic about the future.

US

Inflation in the US unexpectedly increased to 3.2% in the 12 months to February 2024. The news dampened hopes that an interest rate cut would be announced soon.

A consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan suggests Americans have a gloomy outlook about economic conditions and prospects for the future. Pessimistic consumers might be more likely to curb their spending, which could harm businesses.

Data from the US Federal Reserve also indicates that businesses are taking a more cautious approach. Average hourly earnings increased by just 0.1% in February 2024, while unemployment reached 3.9% – the highest figure since January 2022.

Technology giant Apple saw its shares fall by around 2.5%, wiping around $70 billion (£55 billion) off the value of the company, on 4 March following an EU-issued fine. The EU fined the company €1.8 billion (£1.54 billion) after it was found to have broken competition laws by imposing curbs on app developers.

Asia

Japan’s main index, the Nikkei, hit 40,000 points for the first time on 4 March after it increased by 0.5%, partly thanks to a weak Japanese Yen helping exporting businesses. The milestone follows a strong start to the year – the Nikkei has gained almost 20% since the start of 2024 thanks to booming technology firms.

The Bank of Japan also made its first interest rate hike in 17 years and ended eight years of negative interest rates, which sought to encourage lending. The bank’s base rate increased from -0.1% to 0.1% after board members said they expected to achieve 2% inflation in the coming year after decades of deflation and stagflation.

China continues to face a property crisis, which is affecting consumer spending and lending, as well as economic growth.

The Chinese government previously cracked down on property speculation that sent prices soaring. However, the property market peaked in 2020 and has faced a downturn ever since.

According to the country’s National Bureau of Statistics, house prices continued to fall in major cities in February. The organisation said it expects real estate to remain the main drag on economic growth in 2024.

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.

In the March 2024 Budget, Jeremy Hunt announced a second cut to National Insurance (NI), which could reduce your tax liability. Yet, as the chancellor didn’t unfreeze other allowances, many workers will see their overall tax bill rise in real terms due to fiscal drag.

Fiscal drag refers to a phenomenon where the government increases revenue by freezing thresholds rather than increasing them in line with inflation. So, even though tax rates don’t increase – and in some cases fall – your tax liability may still rise. During periods of high inflation, which the UK has experienced over the last few years, the effect of fiscal drag can be magnified.

So, while you might welcome the news of National Insurance cuts, it may not have as much impact on your finances as you first believe.

29 million workers will pay less National Insurance in 2024/25

Rishi Sunak’s government first made cuts to NI in the 2023 Autumn Statement and then made a further announcement in the March 2024 Budget.

According to the government, reducing employee and self-employed NI is “the best way to target working people, supporting growth and making the tax system fairer”.

It’s estimated that 29 million workers will benefit from the reduced NI rate. The second cut is collectively worth more than £10 billion a year for workers across the UK, according to the Budget document.

The rate of NI employees will pay in 2024/25 fell from 10% to 8% on 6 April 2024, following a cut from 12% to 10% that came into force on 6 January 2024. It’s calculated that the two cuts combined will save the average worker earning £35,400 more than £900 a year.

Self-employed workers may also benefit from a reduction to the main rate of Class 4 NI contributions, which has fallen from 9% to 6%. In addition, Class 2 NI contributions were abolished. The combination of these measures is expected to save the average self-employed person earning £28,000 around £650 a year.

So, on the face of it, the NI cuts suggest that workers will be better off in 2024/25.

Frozen Income Tax thresholds could increase your tax burden

The amount you can earn before being liable for Income Tax, known as the “Personal Allowance”, and thresholds for paying the higher and additional rate have been frozen until April 2028. Previously, they have usually increased each tax year in line with inflation.

As average wages rise, more people will start paying Income Tax or move into a higher tax bracket. So, while you might see your NI bill fall, overall your tax liability could rise in real terms.

Indeed, according to the BBC, by 2027, the average earner would only be £140 better off – and only people earning between £32,000 and £55,000 a year would be better off despite the NI cuts.

As a result of fiscal drag, a report in FTAdviser suggests that 3.8 million people will be brought into a higher tax bracket over the coming years and face a shock tax bill as a result.

It’s not just your Income Tax liability you might need to be mindful of. Moving into a higher tax bracket could affect other allowances.

For example, if you become a higher-rate taxpayer, your Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) – the amount you can earn in interest on savings before they could become liable for Income Tax – would halve to just £500 a year. If you moved into the additional rate bracket, your PSA would be £0.

Moving into a higher tax bracket could also affect the rate of Capital Gains Tax you pay, as well as other areas of your financial plan.

There could be ways to potentially reduce your Income Tax bill

If you could be dragged into a higher tax bracket, one way to potentially reduce your tax bill is by increasing your pension contributions.

As tax is calculated after pension contributions are made, increasing how much you’re saving for retirement could be a useful way to avoid being pulled into a higher tax bracket.

Remember, pensions are not usually accessible until you’re 55 (rising to 57 in 2028). So, it may be important to weigh up the pros and cons of increasing your pension contributions with your short- and medium-term finances in mind before you proceed.

There might be other steps you could take to reduce your tax liability too, such as making charitable donations from your income or using a salary sacrifice scheme. Please contact us to talk about your options.

Get in touch to discuss how to make tax efficiency part of your financial plan

Managing your tax liability could help you get more out of your money and turn long-term aspirations into a reality. Please contact us to arrange a meeting to talk about your tax bill and the steps you may be able to take to reduce it.

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

Please do not act based on anything you might read in this article. All contents are based on our understanding of HMRC legislation, which is subject to change.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

If you’re concerned about running out of money during retirement, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s one of the top financial concerns in the UK. Being proactive and working with a financial planner to create a retirement plan could offer you peace of mind. Read on to find out why.

In an Aegon survey, 7 in 10 financial advisers said their clients’ number one concern was outliving their savings. The good news is that by seeking the support of a finance professional, you can understand what income is sustainable for you and the lifestyle it might afford.

High inflation is playing a role in fears of running out of money

When you retire, you may have a pension pot that you could use to create an income. However, as you may be responsible for managing withdrawals, you might worry about taking too much too soon.

It can be difficult to know what a sustainable income is. After all, you don’t know exactly how long your pension will need to provide an income for, or what unexpected expenses you could face.

Recent economic circumstances have also highlighted how factors outside of your control could affect the income you need to maintain your lifestyle.

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine led to prices rising. Many countries have experienced a period of high inflation as a result. In the UK, inflation peaked at 11.1% in October 2022 – the highest rate recorded in 40 years.

Inflation has since fallen, but is still above the Bank of England’s target of 2%. According to the Office for National Statistics, in the 12 months to February 2024, inflation was 3.4%.

As the cost of goods and services increased, some retirees may have taken a higher income from their pension to meet their outgoings. Some could be on track to deplete their assets quicker than expected as a result, which may fuel concerns about running out of money.

Given the circumstances, it’s not surprising that the Aegon survey found that 64% of financial advisers also said inflation was a major concern for their clients.

With so many different factors to consider when deciding how to create a sustainable income from your pension, it can feel overwhelming. Financial planning that’s tailored to you could offer you the reassurance you need to feel confident about your finances and the decisions you make.

A tailored financial plan could address your fears

As you might expect, creating a bespoke financial plan involves assessing your assets, but also includes understanding your goals and fears to give you confidence about the future.

Cashflow modelling could be a valuable financial planning tool if you’re worried about running out of money in retirement.

Based on data like the value of your assets and outgoings, it can create a visual representation of your wealth and how it could change during your lifetime. It will also include some assumptions, like the returns your investments are expected to generate and the rising cost of living.

After inputting the data, you can change information to model how your decisions might affect your financial security. For example, you could create a visualisation of how your assets may change if you took an annual income of £35,000 from your pension, and then see how your financial security would change if you increased it to £40,000.

Cashflow modelling may also be used to answer questions that you’re worried about, such as:

Would a period of high inflation mean I’d run out of money during my lifetime?
Could my pension provide a reliable income if I lived to 100?
Would I have enough to cover the cost of care if it’s needed later in life?
Could I sustainably increase my income each year to reflect the rising cost of living?

Cashflow modelling isn’t just useful for understanding what level of income is sustainable either. It can factor in one-off outgoings so you can review their impact on your financial resilience.

For instance, the Aegon survey suggests travelling or living overseas is an aspiration for many. So, you might want to model what would happen if you withdrew a lump sum to fund a bucket list trip, or whether you could afford to buy a holiday home.

Similarly, many people want to lend financial support to the next generation. As a result, you may want to incorporate gifting assets during your lifetime to help your family reach milestones, like getting on the property ladder or pursuing further education.

We could help you create a long-term retirement plan

A retirement plan could help you enjoy the next stage of your life and feel confident about your finances. Please get in touch to arrange a meeting to talk about how you might create a sustainable income using your pension and other assets.

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate cashflow planning.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

Effective retirement planning often involves weaving together lots of different threads. As you think about your retirement, you might be unsure how to bring everything together, but a bespoke financial plan could put your mind at ease.

Over the last few months, you’ve read about the importance of deciding how you’ll retire, why you should set out your goals, and your options for accessing your pension. Now, read on to discover the challenges of bringing together these different strands of retirement planning and why a tailored financial plan could provide a solution.

The challenges of retirement planning you could face

A common concern among those approaching retirement is whether they have enough money to retire. Even after the milestone, you might worry about running out of money too soon.

Understanding what a sustainable income is for your circumstances can be difficult. After all, you don’t know how long you’ll spend in retirement and you might need to factor in a range of influences outside of your control, such as the effect inflation will have on your expenses.

As a result, you might not be confident in your ability to live the lifestyle you want once you give up work.

Uncertainty could mean you spend too much too soon, which could leave you in a financially vulnerable position in your later years. Alternatively, it might lead to you being more frugal than necessary and missing out on retirement experiences.

There could be other challenges too. Perhaps you’re considering taking a lump sum out of your pension or using assets to fund a one-off expense but you’re unsure about the long-term effect it may have. Or you want to ensure you leave an inheritance behind to support loved ones after you’ve passed away.

While pensions are often the main source of income in retirement, retirees will often have other assets at their disposal too. You might be unsure how you could use your savings, property, or investments to support your retirement goals, but financial planning could help.

A financial plan will bring together your aspirations and finances

When you think about what financial planning involves, your mind might turn towards understanding your assets. However, an effective financial plan starts by understanding what you want to achieve.

At retirement, this might be the lifestyle you want to enjoy for the rest of your life. You may have other priorities too, such as lending support to your family or ensuring your partner is also financially secure.

Once you’ve set out your lifestyle goals, you can start to review your assets and how they might make these objectives achievable.

One of the benefits of working with a financial planner is that they may help you bring together these different goals. So, a retirement plan that’s tailored to you may consider what a sustainable income is, but it might also include:

Gifting assets to your loved ones during your lifetime
Putting assets aside for your family to inherit when you pass away
Financial protection that could provide for your partner if the worst happened
A safety net that may give you peace of mind
Provisions in case you need care in the future.

Using a tool called “cashflow modelling”, we could help you visualise how to use your wealth to reach your goals.

By adding details about your assets, cashflow modelling could show how your wealth will change over time depending on the decisions you make. For instance, it could demonstrate how long your pension may last if it was used to provide an annual income of £35,000 or £45,000. Or how using your investments to supplement your income might provide you with greater financial freedom.

Cashflow modelling could also highlight potential risks. You can model different scenarios, including those that are outside of your control, to understand how they might affect your lifestyle and financial security.

For example, could the rising cost of living place pressure on your finances 20 years after you’ve retired? By identifying potential risks at the start of retirement, you may be able to take steps to mitigate them or create a safety net. To manage the effect of inflation on your outgoings, you may plan to increase the income from your pension each year to preserve your spending power.

As a result, working with a financial planner could help you realise your retirement goals and give you financial confidence as you start the next chapter of your life.

Contact us to talk about your retirement plans

If you’re preparing for retirement, whether it’s a milestone you hope to reach this year or it’s a decade away, we could offer you support. Please contact us to talk about your retirement aspirations and how your finances may provide you with security once you give up work.

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

The Financial Conduct Authority does not regulate cashflow planning.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

The tax implications of pension withdrawals will be based on your individual circumstances. Thresholds, percentage rates, and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

The Magnificent Seven might conjure up images of the 1960s Western film or its 2016 remake, but there’s a new group in town – seven technology companies that outgained the market in 2023. Read on to find out more about these companies and the effect they’re having.

The S&P 500 is an index that tracks the stock performance of 500 of the largest companies listed on stock exchanges in the US. It’s widely regarded as a gauge for measuring the performance of large-cap US equities as it covers around 80% of the total market capitalisation of US public companies.

In January, the S&P 500 reached a new high. However, far from indicating a strong performance across the index, just a handful of companies, dubbed the “Magnificent Seven”, were largely responsible.

The 7 technology companies that are boosting the S&P 500

The Magnificent Seven has a huge market value. In fact, the seven stocks are the same size as the entire stock markets in the UK, Canada, and Japan combined. Analysis from Deutsche Bank also found the combined profits of the companies exceeded almost every G20 country in 2023.

The Magnificent Seven are all technology stocks and include:

Alphabet, the parent company of Google
Amazon
Apple
Meta, the parent company of Facebook
Microsoft
Nvidia
Tesla

Individually, the stocks of these companies soared between 50% and 240% in 2023. As a leader in AI, Nvidia saw the biggest gains and it may continue. In less than a year, the chipmaker doubled its market cap to reach $2 trillion (£1.58 trillion) at the start of 2024.

The Magnificent Seven could mask wider market trends

An index rising is usually viewed positively and as a sign that the market is performing well. However, the size of the Magnificent Seven could mask wider trends.

The S&P 500 is weighted by market capitalisation, so the movements of the largest companies affect the overall performance of the index more than smaller businesses. As a result, the stellar performances of the Magnificent Seven had an even larger impact on the index than you might expect.

According to the New York Times, the gains of the Magnificent Seven in the 12 months to January 2024 account for more than 60% of the return in the S&P 500. Indeed, after Tesla’s value increased by more than 64%, it led to an almost 3% rise in the S&P 500.

The impact the Magnificent Seven have on the index might lead you to think they were the best-performing companies. Yet, this isn’t the case. For example, Royal Caribbean experienced a rise of 212% in the last year. However, as the cruise line is a smaller company, it holds less weight in the index.

The weighting could mean that even if most companies included in the index experience a fall, a strong performance from the Magnificent Seven could lead to the S&P 500 rising. As a result, if investors only viewed the headline data, they could form a very different picture of how the market is performing than it is in reality.

The effect of the Magnificent Seven could work the other way too. If they suffered a fall in value, it would have a much larger impact on the S&P 500 than if a smaller business experienced a dip.

2 important takeaways investors may want to keep in mind

1. Look beyond the headline data

The overall performance of the S&P 500 would suggest the market is strong thanks to the Magnificent Seven. Yet, once you look at the performance of the remaining 493 companies, it’s still positive but more subdued.

Headline data without context can be misleading. So, if you’re making investment decisions, it’s often wise to dig a little deeper.

2. Don’t make investment decisions based on hype

With the Magnificent Seven featuring in headlines around the world, you might be tempted to invest in them. However, one year of strong growth doesn’t automatically mean an investment is right for you. It’s important to consider whether it suits your profile and goals, and how it might fit into your wider portfolio.

Contact us to talk about your investment portfolio

If you want to review your investment portfolio, please contact us. We could help you identify investment opportunities that are right for your goals and risk profile. Please get in touch to speak to one of our team.

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

The value of your investments (and any income from them) can go down as well as up and you may not get back the full amount you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.

While many economies are still struggling with high inflation there are signs that the pace is starting to slow, which could pave the way for interest rate cuts later this year.

To reflect this, the OECD has lifted its 2024 global growth forecast by 0.3%, when compared to the end of 2023, to 2.9%. However, the international organisation warned that central banks should ensure underlying price pressures were “fully contained” before they cut interest rates.

Market rallies around the world on 22 February highlighted how interconnected markets are and how difficult it can be to predict movements.

US chipmaker Nvidia beat expectations and reported sales of $22.1 billion (£17.4 billion) in the final quarter of 2023 – a 22% increase when compared to the previous quarter and a huge 265% higher than in the final quarter of 2022. In fact, the company has gone from a market cap of $1 trillion to $2 trillion in a record eight months – less than half the time it took technology giants Apple and Microsoft.

It led to widespread optimism that the AI boom would continue. Tech-heavy US index Nasdaq jumped more than 2%, as Nvidia’s share price soared by 12%. The news led to Japan’s main index, the Nikkei, hitting a record high, Europe’s Stoxx 600 index increasing by 1%, and the FTSE 100 benefiting from a boost to its technology stocks.

Read on to find out what else affected markets in February 2024.

UK

The headline news is that the UK is in a technical recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of economic contraction.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show GDP fell by 0.3% in the final quarter of 2023, following a drop of 0.1% in the previous quarter. The ONS said the biggest drags on growth were manufacturing, construction, and wholesale.

The news places pressure on prime minister Rishi Sunak, who is expected to call a general election in the coming months.

ONS data also showed that UK inflation was unchanged in January at 4%. While positive news, as economists predicted a rise, it’s still double the Bank of England’s (BoE) 2% target.

The BoE’s governor, Andrew Bailey, said the bank needed more confidence that inflation would fall and stay low before it made cuts to interest rates. As a result, the BoE base rate remains at 5.25%. However, Bailey noted that inflation didn’t need to reach 2% before cuts would be considered, signalling that it could happen soon.

Tension in the Red Sea is continuing to affect supply chains around the world. The S&P Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) shows the manufacturing sector continued to contract in January, with the need for shipping firms to reroute vessels away from the Suez Canal contributing to challenges and rising costs.

In contrast, the PMI for the service sector showed three consecutive months of growth with the highest reading in eight months. The pace of new orders also increased, which led to firms hiring more staff.

After a pre-Christmas slump, retailers have benefited from sales bouncing back, according to the ONS. In January, retail sales volumes increased by 3.4% – the fastest growth recorded since April 2021.

However, the high street still faces significant challenges as consumers watch their spending during the cost of living crisis. The latest high-street casualty is well-known cosmetic brand The Body Shop, which filed for administration in February.

Europe

The eurozone is moving closer to reaching its inflation target of 2%. In the 12 months to January 2024, inflation was 2.8%. Steep falls of 6.8% in energy prices played a role in bringing down the headline figure.

The eurozone avoided falling into a recession, but the GDP data was far from positive. In the final quarter of 2023, eurozone GDP remained the same as the previous quarter as economies stagnated.

In response, the European Commission (EC) has cut its growth forecasts. The EC now expects the eurozone to grow by just 0.8% in 2024, while the wider EU is anticipated to grow by 0.9%.

There were warnings that Europe’s largest economy, Germany, could slip into a recession.

ING data suggest that German industrial production fell by 1.6% month-on-month in December, and was 3% lower than a year ago. What’s more, Destatis said German exports fell by 4.6% in December when compared to a month earlier as demand continued to affect business operations.

US

In the US, inflation fell to 3.1% in the 12 months to January and moved closer to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.

Similar to other economies, the base interest rate was maintained in the US. However, speculation that rates would fall later this year led to the S&P 500 index reaching a new high on 7 February. This was driven by energy, consumer discretionary, and material stocks.

With a presidential election due to take place in the US in November, current president Joe Biden took the opportunity to state that the latest job figures show America’s economy is “the strongest in the world”.

Economists predicted that the US would add 180,000 new jobs in January. This forecast was far surpassed when figures showed 353,000 new jobs were created. In addition, average hourly earnings increased by 4.5% when compared to a year earlier and reached $35.55 (£28.10).

Both of these figures indicate that businesses are feeling confident about their prospects.

Asia

Over the last few decades, China has consistently been one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world. However, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that an economic slowdown is likely.

The IMF predicts China’s GDP will grow by 4.6% in 2024 although this growth will fall to 3.5% by 2028 due to weak productivity and an ageing population. While the figures may seem high compared to other countries, it follows growth of 5.2% in 2023 and is significantly below the medium-term average.

China’s markets have been experiencing volatility. As stock exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen fell to their lowest level since 2019 early in February, the government decided to remove the boss of the stock market regulator in a bid to calm the turbulence.

Official statistics from Japan show the country fell into a recession at the end of 2023. In the final quarter of the year, GDP fell by 0.1%, while the figure from the third quarter of 2023 was revised downwards to a fall of 0.8%.

The contraction means Japan is no longer the world’s third-biggest economy as it slipped into the fourth spot. Japan’s GDP fell to $4.2 trillion (£3.31 trillion) and is now lower than Germany’s GDP of $4.5 trillion (£3.55 trillion).

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

Investments should be considered over the longer term and should fit in with your overall attitude to risk and financial circumstances.

Financial worries can harm the mental wellbeing of employees, and research suggests it could negatively affect the productivity of businesses too. As an employer, offering financial advice to your team could be a win-win.

Inflation has led to the cost of living soaring, so it’s not surprising that more households are concerned about their finances. What may be unexpected is the material impact it could have on your business.

A report from Aegon found that 12% of private workers missed work due to financial concerns in 2023. On average, these employees were absent from work for 4.7 days.

Staff taking time off work when they’re financially stressed could be just the tip of the iceberg. The report found that a more prevalent issue was presenteeism – where employees attend work but experience significantly reduced productivity due to personal and health-related factors.

Indeed, almost a quarter of employees surveyed said their work productivity had declined over the last two years due to financial worries.

These lost workdays are estimated to have collectively cost UK employers £10.3 billion over the year.

As younger generations are less likely to have accumulated wealth, it’s unsurprising that workers aged between 16 and 44 are more likely to be affected by financial stress.

Offering financial guidance as a workplace benefit could be valuable to both your employees and the business. Here are three reasons why.

1. You could help employees take control of their finances

Money concerns might affect more of your employees than you think.

According to research from National Debtline, almost half of UK adults started 2024 worrying about money, with 9% stating they felt unable to cope because of their finances. As high inflation continues to place pressure on households, nearly a third expect their finances to be worse by the end of 2024.

For some employees, meeting with a financial planner could identify steps they may take to improve their financial situation, or they might find they’re in a better position than they believe. As well as supporting daily money concerns, a financial plan could also address long-term worries, like whether they’re saving enough for retirement.

You might also want to signpost employees to organisations, such as StepChange, that could offer support if they’re struggling with debt.

If employees are taking time off work or experiencing lower productivity because they’re worried about finances, offering financial advice that’s either delivered to your team or on a one-on-one basis could have a direct effect on your business’s bottom line.

2. You can use financial guidance to highlight the benefits you provide

As an employer, you might offer financial benefits to your employees. Financial guidance offers a great opportunity to draw attention to them.

Taking the time to explain perks like salary sacrifice schemes, additional pension contributions, or group protection could mean more of your team makes use of them. Some of your employees may not know about all your workplace benefits, and others might not understand why they could be valuable to them.

Other perks could support reducing financial stress among your team too. For instance, providing access to a therapist may help them learn better ways to cope when they feel stressed.

Not only could discussing perks ease some of the financial concerns your employees may be facing, but it may benefit your business too. Being aware of workplace benefits could boost job satisfaction and improve employee retention.

We could work with you to review the financial workplace benefits you offer and improve awareness of them among your employees.

3. You could demonstrate you value your employees’ wellbeing

Don’t underestimate the importance of ensuring your employees feel valued – it could play an essential part in their job satisfaction and how long they remain part of your business.

Indeed, a 2023 survey published in People Management found that half of UK workers said they would prefer to have “great relationships” at work than a 10% pay increase. Demonstrating that your employees’ concerns are important to you could help improve relationships and how they view the business.

Contact us to talk about the financial wellbeing of your employees

If you’d like to discuss how we could improve the financial wellbeing of your employees, please contact us.

Please note:

This blog is for general information only and does not constitute advice. The information is aimed at retail clients only.

Workplace pensions are regulated by The Pension Regulator.