ISA Allowance

Don't let the stock market volatility deter you from taking advantage of a tax free investment opportunity. Now is the time to take up your Annual ISA allowance before you lose it forever at the end of the tax year on April 5th. We can allocate upto £7,000 of your existing funds to take up your stocks and shares allowance or, if you prefer, we can add new funds to your portfolio. From April 6th 2008 please note that all PEP accounts will automatically become a stocks and shares ISA. You will be able to invest in this re-labelled PEP, as long as you haven’t subscribed to another stocks and shares ISA during the current tax year.

Tax Changes Affecting Pension Contributions

Conversely, from 6th April, the basic rate of income tax will reduce from 22% to 20% which means that we will all receive a little less tax relief on our pension contributions. At present if you pay £78 into your pension then £22 tax relief will be credited to enable a gross contribution of £100. After 6th April 2008 you will need to increase your contribution to £80 to maintain a gross contribution of £100. Doing nothing means that a £78 contribution will only gross up to £97.50 so, if you are thinking of investing for your retirement in the near future (particularly a lump sum) it makes sense to do so before the 5th April 2008.

To make changes to your Transact portfolio, please get in contact with us as soon as possible.

Mortgages

Buying a house is one of the most important financial decisions you will ever make and finding the best re-mortgage is equally important. Yet some customers still do not shop around, trusting in their own bank to find them the cheapest deal. Needless to say, this can prove a costly mistake. 2008 will see a large number of fixed rate mortgage deals coming to an end and given the change in mortgage products since these original deals were set up, it is vital to shop around. Rates have now increased and many firms are charging set up fees in excess of £1000.

Rather than trawling the market yourself, why not let Argyle's mortgage specialists find the right deal for you? As an existing customer this service comes at no extra charge... saving you money right away! Even if you're not looking for a mortgage (or re-mortgage) at present, you can still contact us now and we'll alert you nearer the time.

To take advantage of the Argyle mortgage service please call Jenny on 01704 540575.

Your Details

Our annual review process continues at a pace and you will contacted by a member of the Review Team just prior to your personal review taking place. In addition to reviewing your portfolio, we would like to ensure that all your details are correct and reflect any changes which have taken place during the last year or so. It is important that we keep this information up to date... so we may continue to provide you with the best service possible.