HMRC have published the long delayed survey which they commissioned on Save As You Earn (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plans (SIP), which considers whether the schemes have met their policy objectives. The survey on SIPs was due in 2005.
While the report provides some useful statistics, it is disappointing that HMRC have failed to address some [...]

All four defendants in the marathon Guinness trial were facing jail after the jury returned “guilty” verdicts following five days of deliberations.
On the 112th day of their trial, which was the most expensive court action ever brought at that time; Ernest Saunders, Gerald Ronson, Sir Jack Lyons and Anthony Parnes were convicted on all but [...]

Investors have been warned to beware of fraudsters targeting former customers of rogue stockbroker Pacific Continental Securities.
The UK Financial Services Authority closed down Pacific Continental Securities in June of 2007. The company had been authorised as a broker for several years but had a turbulent and contentious history. Having done little to police the matter [...]

An Individual Savings Account (ISA) allows any UK taxpayer aged 18 or over to save up to £7,200 each year (for 16-17 year olds this is £3,600 cash) and not pay tax on the income they receive from the investment.
They are now a permanent feature of the UK savings landscape.
Tax Advantages of ISAs

All income from the ISA [...]

“Going Offshore” is a phrase that one commonly hears usually accompanied by a wry smile or a sly wink of the eye.
There is an assumption that somehow “Offshore” is “dodgy” and anyone who has an offshore bank account or business must automatically be up to no good. Phrases like “tax avoidance”, “tax evasion” and, increasingly [...]

The FSA is an independent non-governmental body formed following reforms in the regulation of financial services. The supervision of banking and investment services (including pensions, life assurance etc) was merged with the responsibilities of the previous regulator, ”The Securities and Investments Board (SIB), which changed its name to the Financial Services Authority in 1997.
The FSA’s four statutory [...]

The European Economic Area consists of all the member states of the European Union plus three of the four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) states, namely Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. By treaty the EFTA states have been allowed to be part of the European Single Market without being required to join the EU.
The Fourth EFTA [...]