3 Responses to The Greta Garbo Budget – a PP discussion next Tuesday

1. Byron McKeeby says:

   November 28, 2025 at 7.32

   At the time of her death in 1990, Greta Garbo’s estate had a net worth of $70 million, equivalent to approximately $170 million in today’s dollars.

   Her wealth came not only from a successful acting career but also from her savvy investments and astute financial management.

   or, do you mean

   “Greta Garbo syndrome”, after the reclusive Hollywood actress, whose most famous on screen utterance was “I want to be alone” and “I just want to be alone” in 1932’s Grand Hotel?

   It’s said to apply to a growing number of workers who seem to care little for socialising with their colleagues.

   The Swedish actress claimed she never said, ‘I want to be alone,’ in a 1955 article in Life magazine.

   “I only said, ‘I want to be let alone!’ There is all the difference.”

   Loading...

   Reply

2. Pingback: Media 1- parliament 0 ; democracy’s penalty o.g . in the last minute | AgeWage: Making your money work as hard as you do

3. John Mather says:

   November 29, 2025 at 7.32

   Early thoughts on the budget of a non-aggressive nature

   Based on the Autumn Budget 2025 client bulletin that was sent to some of my old clients yesterday, here are the opportunities that should be prioritised, organised by urgency and potential impact:

   Immediate Priority (Action Required by April 2026)
   Maximize VCT investments before rate reduction

   Income tax relief drops from 30% to 20% from 2026/27
   Combined with rising dividend taxes, this creates a compelling window to invest now
   VCT fundraising already at near-record levels, so availability may be limited

   Utilize annual IHT exemptions

   £3,000 annual exemption with one-year carryforward (use by 5 April 2026)
   £250 small gifts exemption (unlimited recipients)
   Normal expenditure exemption for regular gifts from income ( this is a substantial opportunity)

   High Priority (Act Within 12-18 Months)
   Review business/agricultural property structures before April 2026

   New £1m lifetime allowance for 100% relief starts 6 April 2026
   Consider transferring assets to utilize both spouses’ allowances
   Lifetime transfers after 29 October 2024 affected if donor dies after 5 April 2026

   Optimize salary vs. dividend strategy before April 2026

   Dividend tax rates increase by 2 percentage points from 2026/27
   Current window to extract dividends at lower rates
   Employer NICs already at 15%, so balance needs recalculation

   Pension death benefit planning before April 2027

   Unused pensions become subject to IHT from 6 April 2027
   May change the logic of leaving funds untouched in pensions
   Consider withdrawal strategies that balance IHT with income tax

   Medium Priority (Plan for 2027-2028)
   Prepare for interest and property income tax increases

   All rates rise by 2 percentage points from 2027/28
   Affects savings income (PSA), dividends, and rental income
   Consider rebalancing between spouses and maximizing ISA usage now

   Cash ISA strategy for under-65s

   £12,000 annual limit starts 2027/28 (down from £20,000)
   Front-load cash ISA contributions in 2026/27 while £20,000 limit available
   Over-65s retain full £20,000 access

   High-value property planning

   New council tax surcharge from April 2028 on properties over £2m in England
   Time to consider ownership structures or disposal strategies

   Ongoing Opportunities
   Maximize ISA contributions

   £20,000 annual limit frozen but still valuable with rising tax rates elsewhere
   Long-term tax shelter becomes more valuable as other allowances erode

   Spouse/partner income rebalancing

   Personal allowance frozen at £12,570 until 2031
   PSA optimisation is increasingly important as interest rates remain elevated
   Dividend allowance at just £500 makes rebalancing critical

   Salary sacrifice for pensions (while it lasts)

   Still delivers up to 27.8% uplift for contributions under £2,000
   Rules change from 2029/30, so maximize current benefits
   Particularly valuable for higher-rate taxpayers

   EIS investments

   Relief remains at 30% (unlike VCTs) or 50% for SEIS
   New higher limits make larger investments possible
   Knowledge-intensive company limits doubled to £40m lifetime

   Lower Priority but Worth Monitoring

   Capital allowances changes (40% First Year Allowance from January 2026)
   State pension top-ups if approaching state pension age
   JISA contributions (£9,000 limit frozen but still tax-efficient)
   Child Benefit optimization for £60,000-£80,000 income band

   The most time-sensitive opportunities involve VCT investments (before the rate cut), dividend extraction (before tax rises), and IHT planning around business property and pensions (before new rules take effect). These should be prioritized for immediate review with professional advisers.

   Loading...

   Reply