Have you taken advantage of your ISA allowance this year? Investors have less than three months to use the £15,000 allowance for the 2014/15 tax year – and for the first time you can opt to have the whole amount in investments or cash, or a blend of the two.
With such a sizable allowance available it comes as a surprise to learn that two thirds of savers have not taken advantage of their ISA allowance – and of the 31% that have, most have saved or invested just £1,000 or less.
The figures are revealed in a report by AXA, which reveals despite the favourable tax benefits associated with ISAs, many Britons are not engaging with the savings vehicles. Gains on investments held within an ISA wrapper are free from Capital Gains Tax, and dividends or coupons paid from stocks, funds or bonds held in an ISA wrapper are free from income tax.
According to the AXA report, three quarters of adults are unaware of the current ISA limit which was raised to £15,000 in July last year. Those that do take advantage of their ISA on average use just 38% of the total annual allowance.
The lack of take-up can in part be blamed on cash savings rates languishing at rock bottom for nearly six years. Since the Bank of England dropped Base Rate to 0.5% in March 2009, banks and building societies have continually cut the interest rates on savings accounts. The best offer on a cash ISA is currently 2.5% - if you lock your money away for five years. This account is with Virgin Money. Not that long ago, high street banks would offer savers rates of 8% for their cash – now if you want to emulate that kind of return, taking on riskier asset classes such as emerging market equities or smaller company stocks is the only option.
Studies have shown that despite a stellar rally in developed stock markets, investors are still nervous about capital losses and many remain un-invested.
For investors who are willing to take on the added risk, but associated potential rewards, of the stock markets, using a tax-efficient wrapper such as an ISA or self-invested personal pension (SIPP) can help to grow your portfolio’s value at a quicker rate than investments subject to tax.