Quicken

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/feb/10/home-ownership-ons-rent "In a reflection of surging house prices and a lost decade for wage growth since the financial crisis, the Office for National Statistics found that a third of 35- to 44-year-olds in England were renting from a private landlord in 2017, compared with fewer than one in 10 in 1997. The government statistics agency said home ownership had become increasingly concentrated among people over the age of 65. Almost three-quarters of adults in the generation that includes baby boomers born after the second world war own their own homes outright, up from just over half in 1993"

I did a cash purchase this month in Scotland (different system from England) with funds from sale of gold bullion. I stated sale of investment gold as the source of funds and my solicitor wanted to see the gold account statement showing the the bullion sale and transfer of fiat. Then a bank statement from the account I would be paying from showing the transfer coming in so they could match it up. If they want to know the original source of wealth, you can state savings from salary. You will need long term records to declare capital gains on your SATR. Hope that helps Q

The USS is a funded scheme, unlike the state pension. It has been downgraded from final salary to career average, and then the people running the scheme wanted to convert it fully to defined contribution. That was rejected. The current controversy is over the proposed compromise involving massively ramping the contributions to keep career average defined benefits. So, yes people were saying the pensions shouldn't be as generous and making them less generous has been the very definite direction of travel for the last decade. Pay more, get less.

Sold my National Grid shares today on the back of this story. Not cool. I mean FFS, our national grid based in Luxembourg and Hong Kong!

It will cost me money, but will certainly win my vote. Indeed, it's a lot better than I expected. I very much doubt they can get everything done, and no doubt things will get dropped, but big spending on the green new deal stuff is essential. Climate change is much, much more important than Brexit.

Dare I suggest:

Yes, but the court of appeal says it's back on.

No - you'd never even have had to own a Mastercard. Higher prices for everyone caused by Mastercard overcharging, allegedly.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/apr/16/mastercard-court-ruling-paves-way-14bn-class-action Nice little spending stimulus

I've always found it strange that income from furnished holiday lettings get a specific mention in relevant earnings for pension contribution tax relief: https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/pensions-tax-manual/ptm044100#earnings https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/furnished-holiday-lettings-hs253-self-assessment-helpsheet/hs253-furnished-holiday-lettings-2018 I wonder how long this can survive in the current environment (airbnb, s24 etc).

London Capital and Finance is toast. Sounds like a pretty dodgy company. ISA not ISA. Marketed by a guy called Careless. Oops https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47454328 "In December the FCA froze LCF's activities, pulled the adverts and in January found that LCF had "made communications in relation to its fixed rate ISA or bond which were misleading, not fair and not clear". The FCA findings included that LCF's bonds did not qualify to be held in an ISA account and therefore investors were being misled by being told the interest they earned would be tax free. Independent financial adviser Neil Liversidge wrote to the FCA in 2015 warning it about the scheme. Mr Liversidge said: "The way it was promoted, a great many people could have fallen for this."

I am not sure I understand you. The government could have clamped down on the tax havens themselves. They chose not to. So now parliament is pushing the issue. The government could then have accepted the amendment to clamp down. They chose not to. They will only be dragged to this kicking and screaming - scum bags. Q

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-47483068 For those who think the Crypto market has hit peak awareness... Q

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/04/house-of-commons-financial-services-bill-debate-pulled-crown-dependencies Ministers not exactly covering themselves in glory here.

Flybmi. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47267901