Articles

Brexit: VCTs, EIS and the future of tax breaks

27 June 2016

With the fallout from Brexit set to rumble on for many years, it may be worth briefly considering what the impact on Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) or Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) might be.The first consideration is ...

What could Brexit mean for investors?

24 June 2016

As I write this at midday the stock market has recovered some of its poise. Financial stocks that were 25%-30% down at the market open have recovered somewhat to be only down 20%. The FTSE 100 ...

Why I have never sold a VCT

17 June 2016

Despite researching VCTs since 1998, it took me a while to start investing. I’m not sure when exactly the first time was, probably in 2001 or 2002. Partly this was down to finances - I didn’t ...

Tax freedom day – or is it?

3 June 2016

Today is 'Tax Freedom Day' – the first day of the year when we theoretically stop working for the taxman and start working for ourselves. For the first time in 15 years it's in June, a ...

VCTs, EIS and SEIS – How risky are they really?

13 May 2016

Mention Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and many investors immediately tell us “oh, they are way too risky”. But what is the reality? How risky are they?There ...

A record year for VCTs

8 April 2016

According to new figures compiled by the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) money invested into Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) in the 2015/16 tax year was £458 million. This is the third biggest fund raising year on ...

New pension rules – high earners penalised for being prudent

5 April 2016

Many welcomed the recent Budget for not making further damaging modifications to pensions; however punitive changes announced in last year’s summer Budget come into force from Wednesday 6 April 2016.We are constantly being told that self-provision ...

My three favourite VCTs for income seekers

21 March 2016

With above average levels of income hard to find, and the new dividend tax about to kick in reducing income for any investor in receipt of more than £25,250 in dividends, what options have investors got ...