Motley Fool: Earn Thousands From Your Bank

A relative of mine switched current accounts recently. He neglected to consult me, and got an account paying 4.25% interest. I thought: “Hmm, that could be worse.” Then he told me it was the Nationwide Flexaccount. I hadn’t heard of it, which was not a good sign, as I work for a website with the slogan: Independent Financial Comparison. It turns out that the sneaky devils only pay 4.25% on the first £3,000, but just 0.25% on any higher balances. As he has £50,000 in his current account, that means he’ll earn £196 interest after tax this year, when he should earn thousands!

Motley Fool: Sweet And Simple Tax Returns

According to financial advisory service Smith & Williamson, if you earn £25,000 to £40,000, you’re likely to pay around 36% in taxes this year. If you’re moving house, the figure will probably be more like 41% to 50%, thanks to stamp duty. And if you’re a heavy-smoking, petrol-guzzling car-driving alcoholic, you’ll pay even more! To put it another way, taxes suck big time.

Motley Fool: Ten Ways To Avoid This Deadly Tax!

According to research from bank Bradford & Bingley, only one in fifty people (2%) who think that they will be liable to pay Inheritance Tax (IHT) have planned ahead by taking steps to reduce its impact. What’s more, almost half of adults don’t know the current rate of IHT, and more than a quarter wrongly assume that they can settle any IHT bill from their inheritance.

Motley Fool: Your Home Is Not A Cash Machine!

In financial jargon, there is no shortage of TLAs (three-letter acronyms) — which, fittingly, is itself a TLA. For example, you have APR (annual percentage rate), CGT (capital gains tax), PPI (the dreaded payment protection insurance), TAR (total amount repayable) and many more. You’ll find more money language in my Jargon Buster and Devil’s Dictionary Of Money.