The Blincoe Blog

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.

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.

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.

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.

Autumn Budget 2024 Opportunities: How to Pivot Your Tax and Investment Strategy
As one door closes, another one opens.

Autumn Budget 2024: Key Tax Changes Every Investor Should Know
The good, the bad and the ugly.

How to Use Bare Trusts to Fund School Fees — and Reduce IHT
Using bare trusts, in the names of minor children, to fund private school fees.

Autumn Statement Rumours: Which Tax Changes Might Actually Happen?
A summary of all the rumoured tax hikes circulating over the past few weeks

Labour Tax Plans: How ISAs, CGT and Inheritance Could Change in 2025
Rachel Reeves has warned of tough choices to come - which taxes could be in her crosshairs?

Life insurance in estate planning
Using whole-of-life insurance to provide for an inheritance tax charge
"'It's insurance Jim, but not as we know it!'"

Five ways to save inheritance tax
A record £7.5bn in IHT was paid in the 2023/24 tax years - here are five options to mitigate a potential charge

Tax year-end planning
A summary of the main personal tax changes for 2024/25 plus planning opportunities into tax year-end
"8 more sleeps until tax year-end"


The £100k childcare cliff-edge (and how to achieve >100% tax relief)
For parents, crossing the £100k earnings threshold can actually leave you worse-off due to the impact on childcare costs. But this can be offset via pension contribution.