The Blincoe Blog
Inheritance Tax & Lifetime Gifting: How Taper Relief and Insurance Can Protect Your Estate
In this week's blog, we explore the mechanics of taper relief and how combining direct gifting with a short-term insurance policy can provide both tax efficiency and peace of mind.
How to Turn Pension Income into a Tax-Free Legacy with Life Insurance
One of the most effective estate planning strategies has been to leave your pension untouched for as long as possible. However, ‘the times, they are a-changin’, the government plans to bring pensions into the scope of IHT from April 2027.
What Recent Market Volatility in 2025 Teaches Us About Risk Tolerance
What a ride! After hitting all-time highs on 19th February, the market plunged nearly 19% in six weeks, only to recover swiftly not long afterwards. A bear market scare and a bull market bounce, all within a single quarter.
The New Pension Limits After the Lifetime Allowance: What You Need to Know
In April 2023, Jeremy Hunt announced that the Lifetime Allowance would be abolished. This represents a significant shift in the UK's pension landscape, particularly for individuals with substantial pension savings.
Are Venture Capital Trusts Worth It? Performance vs Tax Relief
We’ve previously explored the mechanics of VCT investing – the rules, the risks, and the generous tax perks, but we’re returning to the topic this week. The key question we ask is: Is VCT investing still worth considering?
Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage or Invest? Pros and Cons Explained
This is a question that comes up frequently: If you have some spare cash, should you use it to pay off your mortgage or invest it for future growth?
How to Use Bed & ISA and Bed & Pension Strategies to Maximise Tax Relief
The recent outbreak of trade tensions has sent global markets into a tailspin. Amidst this volatility lies opportunity, a new tax year offers fresh ISA and pension allowances—an ideal time to make strategic moves that enhance your tax efficiency.
How to Stay Calm (and Invested) When Markets Get Scary
Global financial markets have suffered a bruising few weeks. At the time of writing, the US benchmark S&P 500 index has fallen 8% year-to-date and stands 12% below its all-time high achieved just seven weeks ago(!!).
Nil-Rate Band Trusts Explained: Smart IHT Planning for Couples
Inheritance tax (IHT) continues to affect more families each year. IHT receipts rose by 7% last year and current forecasts suggest a further 5%+ increase this year. To make matters worse, major changes to pension legislation are looming.
Are Offshore Investment Bonds the Hidden Gem of Tax Planning?
These products were once overlooked – often dismissed as expensive and inflexible. But they’ve come a long way. Today, they offer a range of tax planning benefits and can sit neatly alongside pensions, ISAs and general investment accounts (GIAs) as part of a well-structured financial plan.
Why Annuities Are Making a Comeback—and How to Use Them in Retirement
According to a recent FT article, “annuity sales soared to their highest level in a decade in 2024, as high rates and economic uncertainty drove people towards the products and their guaranteed income streams”.
Why Market Volatility Is Back — and What Investors Should Do About It
It’s been a volatile few weeks on the stock market, driven by concerns over a potential trade war and signs of a slowdown in the US economy.
Why the First Years of Retirement Are the Riskiest (and How to Protect Yourself)
Sequence risk refers to the order in which investment returns occur. It is one of the most underappreciated risks and is particularly relevant for new retirees who have shifted from a saving / wealth creation phase to spending their investments.
Your 2025 Tax Year-End Checklist: Five Smart Moves Before April 5th
Investment gains have increased from 10% to 18% for basic-rate taxpayers and from 20% to 24% for higher-rate taxpayers. Now is the time to make the most of available allowances, reliefs, and exemptions.
Gifting from Surplus Income: The IHT-Free Strategy Most People Miss
Regularly gifting from surplus income is a powerful way to pass on wealth completely free from IHT, without the usual 7-year rule
Factor-Based Investing Explained: The Smart Middle Ground Between Active and Passive
Investing is typically framed as a choice between two approaches: active or passive. But what if there was a middle ground that could potentially offer the best of both worlds?
Why the US Dominates Global Markets—and What UK Investors Should Watch
Since 2011, the US market has grown by over 20%, now making up two-thirds of global equities.
Avoid the £100,000 Childcare Trap: Pension Planning for Young Families
Many parents face a costly tax trap when their income exceeds £100,000, causing them to lose valuable childcare benefits.
A Smarter Retirement Strategy: How Risk-Based Guardrails Maximise Flexibility
A more flexible approach to retirement spending, one that takes into account investment performance and adjusts spending threshold accordingly.
Retirement Spending: How to Balance Fear of Running Out with Fear of Missing Out
Retirement Spending: Balancing the Fear of Running Out with the Fear of Missing Out