Home About us Find an Adviser Consumer Information Contact Consumer Information Market Commentary - August 2015 The latter half of August has seen Investors’ attention lurch across the Globe to another ‘crisis’ in China. Global equity markets fell anywhere from 4.73% (S&P 500) to 8.84% (MSCI Asia Pacific ex Japan) over the month. In environments such as these, the importance of holding a balanced and well diversified portfolio comes to the fore, as UK Gilts rose by 1.14% with Index Linked Gilts falling by 0.61% and Corporate Bonds by 1.16%, protecting capital to a degree. We would note that the bull market we have enjoyed since March of 2009 has been relatively benign, with little volatility. However, there have been some substantial pull backs along the way, which felt uncomfortable but were relatively short lived. The data suggests that pull backs of more than 5% have taken, on average, 28 days to bottom and then 30 days to recover. Therefore, there may be further discomfort to come before we see a sustained recovery in markets. Download the full Commentary Pension Reforms - 2015 From 6th April 2015, a number of major changes to pension rules will come into effect. First proposed in a consultation paper Freedom and choice in pensions, March 2014, and announced to the nation in the Chancellor’s Budget 2014 speech, these changes have been variously described as “The most radical changes to pensions in almost a century”, “the biggest changes to savings in a generation” and “revolutionising the pension landscape”. Here we provide a brief outline of the new rules and who may be affected by them. Download the full Fact Sheet Summer 2015 Budget Reports Budget highlights Some of the key tax points of the Budget are: Dividend tax credit will be abolished from April 2016 and there will be a new dividend tax allowance of £5,000 a year. Above that level the tax rates on dividends will rise by 7.5%. For private landlords the wear and tear allowance will be replaced by a new relief allowing the actual costs of replacing furnishings from April 2016; and individual landlords’ tax relief for finance costs will be restricted to basic rate tax – to be phased in over four years from April 2017. The national insurance contribution (NIC) employment allowance of £2,000 will rise to £3,000 from April 2016. Non-UK domiciled individuals who have been UK resident for at least 15 of the last 20 years will be treated as UK domiciled for tax, including inheritance tax (IHT), from April 2017. There will be an extra transferable IHT nil-rate band for main residences passed on death to direct descendants, starting at £100,000 in 2017/18 and rising to £175,000 in 2020/21. The corporation tax rate will be reduced from 20% to 19% in the financial year 2017, and 18% in 2020. The annual investment allowance available to businesses will be reduced to £200,000 from 1 January 2016. Download the full Summer Budget Summary Download the 2015/16 Tax Tables CONTACT US: 01793 733800 SEND AN ENQUIRY Name: Email: Tel: Enquiry: Please refer to our Terms and Conditions Home Contact Us Terms and Conditions T 01793 733 800 E info@caeruswealth.com CAERUS Capital Group Limited Registered Office: Building 120, Windmill Hill Business Park, Swindon, SN5 6NX. Registered in England and Wales No: 07069448. Member Firms of the CAERUS Capital Group are appointed representatives of CAERUS Financial Limited, The Box, Brooke Court, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 3ND which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA number 497604