The State Pension age is the earliest you can claim your State Pension. Your State Pension age depends on when you were born. For people reaching State Pension age now, it is age 66 for women and men, but the Government has set out two increases to State Pension age in legislation. For those born …

In the last article, we looked at the looming January Self Assessment deadline. There is no shortage of important dates to be aware of when considering your finances; below, we have outlined the key dates to note for the coming year. • 31st January – Self Assessment Tax Return Deadline This is the deadline for …

The 31st January 2023 deadline for submitting Self Assessment tax returns for the 2021/22 tax year is fast approaching. For those who need to submit a return it is important to do so before this deadline so as to avoid late filing penalties. If you are unsure whether you need to complete a tax return …

With 2023 fast approaching, we’ve been reflecting on the changes that 2022 has brought to us and our clients. The year started with a challenging outlook for investment markets, exacerbated by various unexpected events throughout the year. It shows once again that short term forecasting isn’t reliable in ensuring our plans for our future are …

In response to rising inflation, the Bank of England has been increasing the Base Rate and in November 2022 this rose to 3%. As a result, savings rates have been increasing steadily, and are now at the highest levels for more than a decade. National Savings & Investments (NS&I) currently offer an interest rate of …

New Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, announced a sweeping package of tax cuts in his mini-budget last week – the biggest the UK has seen in the last half-century. Below we have outlined the main measures. Basic rate income tax is set to reduce from 20% to 19% from 6th April 2023. This is the first cut …

As a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth II, we will be closing our office on Monday 19th September for the funeral. We will reopen at 9am on Tuesday 20th September

For those with invested pensions, it is crucial to understand exactly how your funds are invested. This can be particularly important as you move closer to retirement, as your plans for accessing benefits will impact the level of investment risk that is suitable. The introduction of Pension Freedoms legislation in 2015 means that you no …

This year marks Eldon’s twentieth birthday, the big 2-0! You may have seen in the Summer Newsletter that the Eldon team will be celebrating by completing a beautiful (but tough) 20-mile walk around Ullswater on Friday 30th September. Donations that the team receives will be directed into our Charitable Fund with the County Durham Community …

With rising inflation, you may have found yourself looking more closely at your household budget, prioritising where your hard-earned income and savings should be spent. Whether you are running a monthly deficit or surplus, budgeting is a crucial tool in understanding exactly where your money is going, helping you ensure it is working in the …