Financial Focus: Autumn 2023

In this issue…

As the equation between inflation, interest rates and markets has shifted, the options for income seekers have widened. Our feature considers the impact on the broader investment landscape – government bonds are also showing more positive returns.

The increase in savings rates may be particularly apposite for those in higher tax brackets. The long-running threshold freezes combined with high inflation rates mean that the numbers of higher and additional rate taxpayers is rising – up around 18% over the previous year.

And while the number of people investing in pensions has significantly increased since the introduction of automatic workplace enrolment, a recent survey shows that despite these efforts, one third of us look set to fall short of the pension funds required to afford the minimum standard of retirement as set by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association.

Meanwhile owner directors with a financial year end coming up may find that the calculations around taking bonus or dividend have altered for the current year.