Q My parents want to gift my children and their grandchildren a sum of money to be used for college fees etc. I believe it will be about €200pm each. I know my children are incredibly lucky and this could save me a lot of money in the future, I heard there could be tax implications.
Q My husband and I are First Time Buyers and are hoping to buy a home of our own to get out of the rent trap as soon as possible but don’t know where to start. Do I find a house first? Do I get a mortgage first? Can I afford this? How do I apply
Q. I was thinking of switching my mortgage as the interest rate has increased a lot in the last few months. Is it worth my while as I hear interest rates have risen across the board? A. Homeowners are often reluctant to revisit their mortgages and shop around for a better deal. Thousands of Irish homeowners
Inheritance tax bills and saving the family home – part two This is a follow up to last week’s article where a reader was being forced to sell their family home to pay an Inheritance tax bill. In that article I mentioned dwelling house relief and how this could save you from inheritance tax on
Q We live in Dublin and our home is currently valued at €800,000. We have one child and I worry that with the way property values and wage rates are going that even with a good salary, she will be unable to manage the tax bill on this inheritance. Is there any way to manage
Q My children don’t seem to understand money. I’ve tried various methods, including pocket money, to no avail. How can I encourage them to develop a savings habit? Teaching your children about money will help them pick up good habits for the future. My children are in their twenties now but my process way
Q Should I fix my mortgage now, switch to a new lender or stay on my current rate? I’m afraid of making a mistake and being stuck with an unwise decision. A The short answer is simple. Get advice from a financial broker. If you want to go it alone, however, it’s a longer answer but
Q. My father keeps telling me to start my pension, but I think it’s too soon as I am still young, not on a high salary and have many other priorities. Is it important to start a pension now? A. For most people, talking about pensions is like watching paint dry. Boring they may be, but
Q. My fixed rate is up on my mortgage next month and it looks like I am going to be facing a significant increase in my repayments. My adviser is recommending that I switch mortgage for a better rate, but I don’t want to go through all that again. Is there way to bring down my
Q. I have recently sold my business and intend to take my time deciding what to do next. I may or may not go back to full time work and I’m considering drawing down my pension, getting 25 per cent tax free and then using some or all off my remaining pension funds to buy a