“Donald Trump once said Saudi Arabia should fight its own wars. Now he’s deploying 3,000 U.S. troops there”

Oct 12, 2019 | In the news

An independent (financial adviser’s) view

Trump ditched the Kurds this week saying they ‘didn’t help us in WW2’. And promptly sent thousands of troops to help the Saudis potentially fight Iran. Right-thinking Americans were outraged. The British Twitterati used humour:

‘Fair enough. After everything Saudi did in Normandy in 1944’

‘The sequences with the camel riding cavalry in Saving Private Ryan…so memorable’

‘Remembering that Great War ace, Lawrence of Saudi Arabia’

‘Why should we listen to someone who wasn’t even at the Battle of Waterloo’

Read more here

“Reeves backs down on plans to cut ISA limit”

“Reeves backs down on plans to cut ISA limit”

So it looks as though Cash ISAs are safe for the moment (FTM – is that a thing?) Rachel has apparently ‘bowed to pressure’ from the banks and building societies and decided not to reduce the allowance to £4,000 for cash and to keep the £20,000 parity with Stocks and Shares ISAs. Bowed also to common sense, I’d say.

“Two thirds of adults are worried about care costs in later life”

“Two thirds of adults are worried about care costs in later life”

A dichotomy/dilemma here. Two thirds of adults are probably right to be worried about the cost of care, which is huge and getting more so. Many of those currently worrying will have had first-hand experience with their own parents, which will have focused their minds on their own possible future.

“Why most won’t need to worry about IHT on pensions”

“Why most won’t need to worry about IHT on pensions”

Many a government has made the point that only a minority will be affected by this or that tax change or tinker. It is, however, both perception and aspiration which are important, and they are what makes IHT the ‘most hated’ of all taxes – along with all the others, of course.