Taking time to understand your financial plans will really pay off

Welcome to our first Smart Money of 2021.

As we enter a new year and the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact on our lives, getting our financial life in order will be a top priority for many of us. Our feature for this issue outlines 10 considerations for your finances in the year to come (page 6). Tax considerations on our investments are vital but sometimes undervalued in our plans, so we’ll be looking at protection against future Capital Gains Tax rises (page 4), tax saving opportunities to mitigate your tax burdens (page 10), and getting on top of your tax efficient ISA allowance for 2021 (page 8). We’ll also be looking at effective investing and retirement planning, reviewing the different ways the over 55s can take their pension pot (page 5), what healthy financial habits to adopt (page 9), and how wealth management can help you achieve your personal financial goals (page 3).