Government responds to Pensions Select Committee recommendations regarding new single-tier state pension »

Back in April 2013 we provided details [P1]  of the recommendations made by the Work and Pensions Select Committee following its pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Pensions Bill clauses regarding the new single-tier state pension and the changes to State Pension Age.

The latest impact assessment for the pensions white paper »

We have already provided details earlier in the year looking at the then new Pensions White Paper and the accompanying impact assessment. Since then the government - or perhaps that should be the Chancellor - has brought forward the planned start date of the single tier pension to April 2016. The reform - and that controversial date change - have also faced considerable criticism from the DWP Work & Pensions Select Committee.

Investment strategies for trustees from 6 April 2013 »

Last month we considered the tax and legal fundamentals of trustee investment in the light of the tax changes taking place from 6 April 2013.  We concluded that the changes and the beginning of the new tax year should provide a good opportunity to contact trustee clients with a view to reviewing trust investments. This month we will look in more detail at some specific investment strategies for the trustees of discretionary trusts.

The General Anti-Abuse Rule - part two »

This month's article continues on the subject of the General Anti-Abuse Rule (the GAAR). The GAAR is a special statutory rule that targets tax avoidance schemes which, because they are complex and/or novel, are outside of the general tax legislation. Only schemes that are abusive are within the ambit of the GAAR.