A combination of rising rates and panic ahead of the current government’s first Autumn Budget has led to HRMC collecting a record amount in Capital Gains Tax (CGT) towards the end of 2024. According to a report in the Telegraph, between July and November 2024, CGT generated more than £1 billion for the government – The post How to reduce your Capital Gains Tax bill in 2025 appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

While it’s important to weigh up your options before making financial decisions, a study suggests families are leaving themselves open to risk because they delay making a judgement about life insurance. According to a January 2025 report from the Post Office, the average Brit takes more than 10 months to sort out life insurance, and The post Average Brit takes risk by delaying life insurance decision by 10 months appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

Handling finances is a part of life and something that most people do, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t stressful. Indeed, many people don’t feel confident making financial decisions, and financial advice could ease their mental load. Even when you’re relatively comfortable, managing your finances can be a cause of concern. Indeed, you might find The post Why ongoing financial advice could ease your mental load appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

How long do you leave essential tasks on your to-do list? If you’ve put off tasks because they feel overwhelming, you’re not alone, but delays could be harmful. Read on to find out how financial planning may help you overcome decision paralysis. According to a January 2025 study from the Post Office, half of adults The post How financial planning could help you overcome decision paralysis appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

How you approach managing your finances could affect your ability to reach long-term goals. The Japanese spending philosophy “kakeibo” could help you practice financial mindfulness and get more out of your assets. Spending money without thinking about how it’ll affect your long-term finances could mean you miss opportunities to secure the lifestyle you want. On The post How to practice mindfulness when managing your money appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

When you’re making large financial decisions, basing them on facts and logic could help you choose the option that’s best suited to your needs. Yet, even when you take this approach, cognitive biases may affect the conclusions you draw. Over the last few months, you’ve read about how past experiences and emotions might affect your The post Behavioural bias: 5 cognitive biases that could affect your finances appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

“Snowballing” could help your money grow at a faster pace when you’re investing over a long-term time frame. Imagine you’ve made a snowball and you’re rolling it through more snow – it’ll increase in size at a faster and faster rate as the surface area grows. The same principle may apply when you’re investing thanks The post How “snowballing” your investments could boost your long-term returns appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

Often dubbed the “most hated tax” in the media, Inheritance Tax (IHT) is a tax on your estate when you pass away, which could reduce how much you leave behind for family and friends. If your estate is worth more than £2 million, the potential IHT bill might be higher than you expect. Read on The post Is your estate worth more than £2 million? Your Inheritance Tax liability could be higher than you expect appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

We’re only weeks into 2025, and it’s already been one filled with market volatility and uncertainty. At times like this, being part of a crowd might feel comforting, but following the investment decisions of others could lead to choices that aren’t right for you. Political and economic uncertainty means investors may already have experienced the The post How to stop following the investment crowd and stick to your strategy appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more

A cashflow model is a valuable tool that lets you understand how the value of your estate and individual assets might change in the future. But, to get the most out of it, you need to look beyond the numbers. A cashflow model provides a graphical representation of all your assets, such as investments, property The post Looking beyond the numbers when using a cashflow model appeared first on The Orchard Practice ..read more