Is Europe the forgotten man?
UK equities are trading at a discount to global peers of more than 40%. This has no equivalence within recent living memory. The UK is bouncing back from the twin hits of the Pandemic and Brexit, and with vaccination figures leading the way globally, it seems ripe for the UK economy to re-open and break out.
Not to be outdone, the usually anemic Eurozone has seen a raft of positive figures after positive figures.
Friday Investment Talk: Pets, UK and EU growth, Blue Chip Model Portfolio
We discuss the pet industry, specifically Trupanion stock and the ETF for the sector, PAWZ. We revisit UK’s depressed valuations and Europe’s increased PMIs. After reviewing the Blue Chip Portfolio, highlighting Nike’s fabulous earnings report, we offer two ‘rebound plays’.
Friday Investment Talk: UK Budget, Bonds, and SPACs
UK budget changes were announced with repercussions for tax payers and pensioners. Buffet on bonds, and SPACs boom.
Friday Investment Talk: Bitcoin, Marijuana, and UK Value
A wild week for marijuana, bitcoin and ‘meme’ trading. The UK market is viewed as undervalued after Brexit.
UK National Insurance and Your State Pension
Now National Insurance contributions – for British citizens including expats – are paid according to the type of CLASS of contribution that you are liable to make. Which CLASS is relevant to you can be the first complicated calculation.
UK Pensions: Tax Advantages of Flexible Drawdown for Non-Residents
If you approaching pension age and are resident in a low tax jurisdiction (Russia, for example), you could take advantage of the UK’s flexible drawdown regime from age 55. If you are non-resident for tax purposes, although you might in future return to the UK to live, or indeed to another country, you may be able to receive the full value of your fund liability to UK tax and so without deduction of tax at source. By investing the proceeds properly, you could obtain tax free growth whilst you are outside the UK and then benefit from withdrawals of 5% per annum tax free when you are back in the UK.
UK Property Tax on Second Homes
Owners of second homes or buy-to-let properties must brace themselves for a seismic shift in how capital gains tax is paid, on top of the rule changes for non-residents who own UK property.
UK Taxation for Non-Domiciled UK Residents
There are three main tax benefits of using offshore life assurance policies when you are considered a UK tax resident, but do not maintain ‘domiciled status’ in the UK. These include tax free investments, no Capital Gains Tax, and Tax Deferred Withdrawl Allowances.
There are specific ways that HMRC calculates taxable benefits on proceeds of insurance bonds during retirement. These include Top Slicing and Time Apportioned Relief.
Using trusts can also be a benefit to transferring wealth with reduced tax implications.
Park First: Just Another Scam Unfolding?
UK Car Park company Park First has run into trouble. We have strong doubts that investors will recieve any money back.
This is another example of an investment (we avoided and warned against) that has lured many Russian clients into losing all their money. If you have been affected, please seek the correct channels for communicating your dispute.
Spanish Real Estate: Can the recovery continue, ignoring the ‘elefante’ in the room?
Spanish property prices have been coming back recently. With all the UK residents living on the Spanish Costas, can this continue? Brexit could thow the area back into the a recession, if UK expats retreat home. Three factors having the most impact include, residency, pension levels, and access to affordable healthcare.