Q. In a previous reply you mentioned a service where you can trace previous pension schemes. Can you give me further details of this? A. The Pension Tracing Service is a free service run by the Department for Work and Pensions and aims to reunite people with Pension savings they may have lost track of… Read more »

Q. I am considering cashing in my personal pension fund which has a value of £20,000. Will this have any impact on my Employment Support Allowance? A. This is a very common question, and the short answer is yes, it will. If you have a pension arrangement, it will not usually be taken into account… Read more »

Q. I have been advised that I can reduce my beneficiaries’ liability to inheritance tax by making gifts and that, up to a certain level, these will be immediately outside my estate. How does this work, and are there any pitfalls to be aware of? A. Most gifts made to, for example, your children, would… Read more »

Q. My wife and I live in a house which is worth £1.5million, so we were pleased when the Chancellor announced that an extra amount of our estate would be free from inheritance tax on our deaths. Now one of my neighbours tells me we may not qualify for this exemption. Can you explain? A…. Read more »

Q. I have had my payslip through and the amount of National Insurance I am paying seems to have gone up considerably. Why didn’t I hear something about this, as it seems like a tax increase? A. I am guessing that you are a member of a pension scheme which was contracted-out of the State… Read more »