New Year Resolutions Money 2018
Published / Last Updated on 04/01/2018
New Year Money Resolutions 2018.
We have created a New Year Money Resolutions Action list below to help you work on some financial resolutions for 2018.
January 2018
Financial Services Compensation Scheme protection is back up to £85,000 per banking licence - make sure you do not have more than £85,000 under any one banking licence (or £170,000 if joint names) - do it now.
Self-Assessment Returns – deadline for 2016/17 is 31st January 2018. HMRC issue automatic fines. Get your records together now.
High Earner Pension contributions before tax year end. Remember higher earners are restricted on how much you can pay into a pension. Tapered/Reduced Annual Pension Allowance for those with adjusted income over £150k pa and those with 'net' income over £110k. You need to make sure you or we have done all your calculations for carry foward unused relief from last 3 years to try and protect from excess tax penalties.
Credit Cards – review interest rates charged – pay it off? Shop around for zero interest balance transfer deals.
Bills Account – managing your budget with a separate bills account – gain control and balance of funds left are then your fun money, leisure money, Christmas account, holiday account
Small Business Owners: We issued a warning late last year about single director owner companies set up before 2006. This is important. Watch the video, take action - do it now.
February 2018
Cash flow forecast – look at income and expenses and project them forwards with goals, targets and objectives
Protection – review life insurance, income protection, critical illness protection. What if scenarios. February. How will you or family cope with death/illness. Use our calculators.
March 2018
Financial Adviser – talk to your financial adviser regularly – set this as a must do subject on 1st March of that first week in March so that you can make sure you have used all your allowances.
ISAs – use your annual allowance up in March, plan for your ISA this tax year and the new tax year 6th April 2018
Traffic Light Alerts: Get involved, be proactive. Markets rise and fall. Traffic Light Investment Alerts. Buy low, sell high regularly.
Bank Accounts – review charges, review benefits. It is easy switching acciounts now.
Pension contributions: Target funding – review your pension and set a target, a plan to work towards and use some or all of your pension annual allowance to maximise tax relief. Whether you just save an addition £80 or £8000, you still get 20% added, taken them up to £100 and £10,000 respectively. Deadline 5th April.
Buy to Let Properties - don't forget reductions in loan interest expenses relief started in 2017, is it more economical now to pay down debt and spend more on other property expenses? Should you increase rents?
Capital Gains Tax Allowances – use it or lose it before the end of the Tax Year.