SavvyWoman : Protecting Your Money : Wills & Tax

Mistakes by HM Revenue and Customs have affected millions of PAYE taxpayers; but you may not have to pay.

Letters start arriving today for the 5.7 million people who've paid the wrong amount of tax through the PAYE system.

The driest six months for 80 years could mean a rise in insurance claims for subsidence.

Subsidence can spell trouble for homeowners, but it doesn't have to mean you can't get insurance. What should you do if your home develops a crack?

You don’t have to live in a castle to benefit from specialist high value insurance policies.

Competition among insurers is bringing high value insurance premiums down and they offer lots of extras.

A national flood charity is criticising some insurers for hiking premiums and excess levels.

Insurers have been accused of not treating customers consistently, imposing excesses of thousands of pounds and even refusing to insure properties altogether.

If you haven't registered to receive early flood warnings and you live in a flood-risk area, it's worth doing.

The Environment Agency says that thousands of people whose homes are at risk of flooding haven't signed up to its early warning system.

Insurers are warning that the cost of property insurance could rise because of climate change.

If you’ve been turned down for insurance because you live in a flood risk area, specialist providers may be able to help.

Lawyers say they’ve seen a rise in the number of families contesting a will. When can you challenge a will?

The idea of a will is that you can decide who inherits after you’ve died, but there are – limited – circumstances in which it can be challenged.

Figures show that only one in three adults has a will, but without one you can't decide who inherits when you die.

If you’ve put off drawing up a will because it seems a bit depressing, too complicated or too expensive, don’t put it off any longer.

Many of us pay too much tax by not making the most of tax allowances. Make sure you're not one of them.

The end of the tax year may not stir up the same emotions as 31st December (unless you're an accountant!) but it shouldn't be ignored.

Thinking about who will look after your money if you no longer can is a bit grim, but it's worth doing.

Only one in three adults has made a will, but far fewer have thought about what would happen if they couldn’t make decisions about their money.

Dentists and doctors are being offered a chance to come clean about their tax affairs. What does it involve?

HM Revenue & Customs is targeting the medical profession; encouraging doctors and dentists to declare all their income or face tougher penalties.

If you don’t have a family or partner, do you need to bother with a will?

If you’re not married or in a relationship and you don’t have children, are you OK without a will?

Critical illness insurance; how to find the right policy (and what might be in the small print).

Critical illness insurance pays out a lump sum if you’re seriously ill but the cover and cost varies widely between the providers.

The FSA says firms must improve the way they handle complaints about mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI).

The Financial Services Authority says firms must treat customers who complain about mis-selling better and review the way they sold PPI policies.

Research shows that more women are responsible for paying the mortgage, but many don’t have insurance.

Around one in 20 people make a claim on life insurance but one in seven claim on insurance to cover illness. Have you got your financial priorities right?

Depression affects twice as many women as men and it can increase the cost of some types of insurance.

One financial consequence of depression is that you might find it harder or more expensive to get insurance, but it’s not always the case.

Using the cycle to work scheme – how to save money and get a tax-free bike.

If you want to cycle to work and save money you may be able to get a bike for less than half price.

Finding the right insurance for your older pet.

Pet insurance can be a lifesaver if you have expensive vet bills to pay. But not all companies will insure older cats and dogs.

Holiday money – the cheapest credit cards and pre-paid cards to use abroad.

If you’re thinking of going on holiday, it’s worth knowing how you can save money when you use credit cards and pre-paid cards.

Using your mobile phone abroad; avoiding a large bill.

If you’re heading abroad for a holiday or a business trip, make sure you know how you’ll be charged for calls, emails and downloads.

If you’re thinking of hiring a car for the summer holidays, you can save money on your insurance.

If you hire a car you might not realise that the insurance you’re offered usually has a large excess – which can add up to hundreds of pounds.

Many travel insurance policies have an upper age limit of 75, but you can still get cover if you’re older

Getting affordable travel insurance once you’ve retired can be a challenge, but you can reduce your premiums if you know where to look

How to get a good exchange rate when you're buying travel money for your holiday.

Ordering your travel money online often gets you the best rate, but watch out for extra charges.

Buying travel insurance that will give you the cover that you need.

You’ve packed your passport, sun tan lotion and ticket. Don’t forget your travel insurance. Some policies cover more than the rest

New rules mean you’ll be able to ask your employer for time off work to study or train.

From today, if you work for a company with 250 or more employees you’ll be able to ask for time off work to train or study. If you work for a smaller firm, you’ll get this right in April 2011.

Medical insurance is a popular perk, but some employers are looking to cut costs.

Lower premiums (or free cover) isn't the only advantage of taking out private medical insurance through your work, there are other benefits as well.

Do you need critical illness insurance? What to look for and what to avoid.

Critical illness insurance is designed to pay out if you become seriously ill, but it can be expensive. But is it worth it?

HM Revenue & Customs is sending out some incorrect tax codes. How can you tell if yours is wrong?

Every year HMRC sends out millions of tax code notices and some are invariably wrong, but this year there are more errors than usual.

Giving to charity – how to make your donations go further.

You've probably heard of Gift Aid, but you may not know all the ways you can give to charity efficiently.

The inheritance tax allowance is worth £325,000; how can you cut your IHT bill?

Although most people won’t have to pay inheritance tax, many resent the idea of it. So how can you reduce your inheritance tax bill?

Minimising inheritance tax

Inheritance tax has always been one of the most unpopular taxes, but you can take steps reduce your bill.

The Law Commission says new laws are needed to stop consumers from getting their insurance claims unfairly rejected.

Every year thousands of people have their insurance claim rejected because of mistakes on their application form. The Law Commission believes this is unfair.

Many people haven't heard of 'crash for cash’, where fraudsters stage car crashes for insurance claims, but it’s big business.

One criminal gang was recently jailed for staging almost 100 deliberate car crashes, but insurers believe there are many similar scams operating on our roads.

How to take pole position when it comes to getting a good deal on your car insurance

A number of insurers target female drivers, but don’t automatically assume they’ll be the best for you

Tracking down the right pet insurance policy

Insurance can be a pet-owner’s best friend, but only if you buy the right policy

If you or anyone in your household has a conviction – no matter how minor - your insurer will want to know about it.

Around 7 million people in the UK have an unspent conviction and if you don’t tell your insurance company, your cover could be invalid

Using your EHIC; emergency treatment you can get for free if you travel abroad

You may not realise it, but in many countries, you can get free or cut-price emergency medical treatment.

Mortgage payment protection insurers must pay back £60 million in premiums

The financial regulator says lenders and insurers who raised prices last year were ‘unfair’. What does that mean if you have a policy or are thinking of taking one out?

Buying medical insurance

With concerns about rationing of expensive drugs on the NHS, private medical insurance might seem like the answer, but is it and affordable one?

Insuring your income: the facts

Income protection can be a financial lifeline if you can’t work because you’re ill.

Dying without a will

Many adults die without making a will, but if you don’t have one, you have no control over what happens after you die.

October 30th is ‘equal pay day’, as the gender pay gap means women effectively work the rest of the year for free.

Government figures show that women earn 17% less than men, on average, but there may be steps you can take to improve your pay package.

Benefits your employer may offer you

Make sure you find out about your employer’s benefits package. It could make a big difference to your overall pay.

Contents insurance explained: how to get the right cover

Don't just look at the price if you want to make sure you buy the right a contents policy for you.

Buildings insurance: what you should get for your money

You might think that buying buildings insurance would be straightforward, but policies can catch you out in unexpected ways