Read the latest news and articles from the Gem & Co team
The Autumn Budget delivered at the end of November included changes to how gains are calculated, including the freezing of ‘indexation’ from January 2018. Indexation is a tax relief which means that gains are currently reduced based on the duration of ownership. Due to the severe measures imposed by the government in the last few
Read moreSlade and Wizzard on loop in every high street shop, the arrival of the John Lewis advert and the weather turning decidedly nippy – yes, Christmas has definitely taken hold at this point. If you’re looking for a way to get yourself into the festive mood whilst picking up some presents for friends and family,
Read moreIn order to comply with EU regulations and to come in line with the financial sector’s current agenda for transparency, an online trusts register was introduced by HMRC in June following the general election result. This non-public register will record all trusts both within and outside the UK – including occupational pension trusts, employee ownership
Read moreNovember was a relatively disappointing month for world stock markets, with the majority of the markets we cover in this commentary losing ground in the month: however, the largest fall was just 3% so there were no real disasters. Pride of place went to the Dow Jones index in the US, which was up by
Read more“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.” Winston Churchill Remembering the past As we remember and commemorate, one century on, the
Read moreIntroduction Since the Spring Budget, the UK has held a General Election, the negotiations to leave the European Union have continued – not always at breakneck pace – and there has been the usual collection of mixed news for the UK economy. The General Election started as an expected coronation for Theresa May and ended
Read moreRecent figures have suggested that over 17,500 older homeowners took out equity release plans on their homes during the first six months of 2017, marking an increase of 44% compared with 2016. Equity release plans, also referred to as ‘lifetime mortgages’, allow homeowners aged over 55 to access their home’s equity without the requirement to
Read moreAfter months of speculation, the Bank of England finally raised interest rates in the UK for the first time in over a decade. The increase from 0.25% to 0.5% might seem small, especially when you consider that the last time the interest rate was increased in July 2007 it was up to 5.75%, but the
Read moreTwo of the biggest concerns faced by workers when they reach their 50s and 60s are those of achieving job satisfaction and a work/life balance. Recent studies have offered fresh insight into the reasons behind these issues and the best ways to tackle them. One study conducted by economists at the University of Southern California
Read moreWhat’s the saying? ‘Close, but no cigar’. That’s how it was in October as all but two of the markets we cover rose in the month. Brazil’s market did manage to stagger up by just 14 points, meaning it was unchanged in percentage terms, but the Russian stock market let the side down, falling back
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