Beware of ‘fee-free’ deals warns Moneysupermarket People hoping to take advantage of fee-free deals have been warned that these do not always represent the best offer available by an expert at Moneysupermarket.
Credit cards – predominant feature of debt Credit card debt is accounting for the vast majority of serious debt cases, a new survey undertaken by the Debt Counsellors has discovered.
Abbey mortgages to be five times salary In an effort to give its customers a helping hand onto the property ladder, Abbey is offering a mortgage that is five times as much as their salary.
Nationwide mortgages achieve platinum rating A platinum rating has been awarded to Nationwide building society’s mortgages at the LEX awards and is the only high street lender to have achieved such a feat.
Leeds two-year discount mortgage launched A new two-year discount mortgage with no lock-ins, available at a rate of 4.99 per cent, has been introduced by Leeds Building Society.
Barclays Blue debit card is really green The environmentally-friendly Barclays Blue debit card has been launched by the bank and is being sent to millions of customers whose old card has expired.
Swiftcover.com pet insurance launched A new addition to the swiftcover.com insurance range has been announced in the form of low cost pet insurance.
Nationwide mortgages available online Nationwide customers will now be able to apply for a mortgage online thanks to the building society’s new feature added to its website.
CIS reinforces its green credentials Following the launch of the Co-operative Insurance (CIS) eco motor insurance product, the company is to embark upon a new national television campaign to back the product.
Norwich Union warns of bonfire burglaries Homeowners have been warned by Norwich Union to be wary of the threat of burglary this Bonfire Night as instances of break-ins are expected to rise.
‘Speed over substance’ for buy-to-lets Buy-to-let mortgage brokers are putting emphasis on the speed of the deal rather than prioritising getting the best value for money for customers, a new study shows.
Property in market towns is more expensive The UK’s largest mortgage lender Halifax has announced the findings of new research, highlighting higher average house prices in market towns than their neighbours.
MasterCard launches pre-paid cards MasterCard has introduced two new cards to add to its existing range – a pre-paid travel card and a gift card.
Zurich launches two IHT trusts Zurich Sterling Discretionary Trust and Discretionary Trust have been launched in accordance with new taxation changes that have been made to inheritance tax (IHT).
3V prepaid voucher card introduced The 3V pay-as-you-go visa voucher has been launched in the UK in a bid to attract customers who are wary of shopping online.
Cash release schemes may make comeback Home reversion plans, which used to be a popular way for homeowners to release cash from their property, could be set for a comeback as formal regulation of these schemes next April is likely to give them some much-needed respectability.
Bad habits can lead to a healthy income Healthy individuals face shrinking pension incomes as the increased popularity of enhanced annuities, which offer better deals to people likely to die younger, is piling further pressure on to already low standard rates.
UK managers follow US model to offer high returns There is a type of equity fund that is hugely popular in the US but has yet to take off in a big way in the UK. Known as a covered call fund, it combinestraditional equity investments with derivatives to generate higher levels of income.
Investors go in one door and out the other Savvy institutional investors are pulling out of the UK commercial property market in droves just as record numbers of private investors are piling in.
Buyers flock to spread the cost of a home loan More and more first-time buyers are willing to shelve their differences and share their living space for a more affordable step on to the property ladder. According to lenders, record numbers of 20 and 30-somethings are pooling their funds and taking out
Buffett ends sleepless nights for many Names Warren Buffett’s offer to absolve Lloyd’s Names from future potential liabilities should put an end to decades of uncertainty for many of the 34,000 Names, not least in their inheritance tax planning.
How to make a big hit in one tax year The new pension rules significantly lifted the bar on contribution thresholds. But a small group of high-flying executives and City workers are taking advantage of a loophole that allows them to pay even more into their schemes, at least for one tax year.
Alternative routes when Treasury splits heirs The Treasury’s threatened clamp-down on Alternatively Secured Pensions is leading to a search by pensions savers and their advisers for other ways of obtaining comparable tax breaks.
Treasury may heed calls to raise ISA investing limit Investors saving through Individual Savings Accounts (Isas) would be able to put in much larger sums of money than presently allowed, if industry proposals are taken up by the Treasury.
Negative equity holds no fear for many Graduates and young professionals are increasingly taking out mortgages in excess of the value of their property so they can get on to the housing ladder without having to pay the deposit or moving costs from their own pockets.
Reduced tax perks puncture investor demand The season to invest in new shares of venture capital trusts is almost upon us. However, demand for these tax-privileged investment funds is likely to slump this winter because of a reduction in their tax perks, a survey by a top tax advisory group indica
Social forces change the very fabric of house market Bubbling below the financial credentials of a buoyant economy are a wealth of social and demographic factors which are also providing significant support for house prices.
Parents will be able to roll Child Trust Funds into Isas Parents will be able to start building up Individual Savings Accounts (Isas) for their children from birth following an announcement by the government this week that it will soon be possible to roll Child Trust Fund accounts into Isas.