All ISAs are owned by an individual.
No joint ISAs, no ISAs held on behalf of others, (though
there is nothing to stop you setting up an ISA in
your own name and handing the proceeds to someone
else, e.g. a child, in the future).
Charges and CAT standards:
Plan managers can impose any terms or charges that
they like (as they can with any investment), but those
that meet certain criteria laid down by the Government
for low Charges, easy Access and fair Terms can claim
to meet the CAT Standards. While this is a useful
standard it has the effect of limiting the options
open to the Plan Manager. It is important that you
are sure that you want your ISA to operate within
these restrictions. They could result in your fund
performance being lower than otherwise. See CAT Standards
- Uses and Limitations.
Transferring funds between
ISAs: Broadly speaking you can transfer funds
between managers whenever you want, but see the Maxi
and Mini details below. Also plan managers are free
to impose restrictions and terms on transfers.
When transferring money invested in previous years
you can move it in whole or in part.
When transferring money invested this year you must
transfer ALL of the money invested to the new ISA.
Tax aspects: There
is no income tax on any income, or capital gains tax
on any gains. (Corollary - no CGT losses within the
ISA can be used to offset gains outside it). Life
policy proceeds are tax free.
There is no need to tell the Inland Revenue anything
about your ISAs. You don't even have to tell them
that they exist.
ISAs end on death, and their value at that time IS
included within your estate for Inheritance Tax purposes.
ISAs come in two main forms
- Maxi and Mini, plus, for the moment TESSA ISA.
Maxi ISA
Always use a Maxi ISA if you want to invest more than
£3000 in stocks and shares that year.
You can invest up to £7000pa, The funds can be invested
in Stocks and Shares, or, if you prefer, up to £3000
can be invested in Cash, and £1000 in Life Assurance,
The monies invested in one component must stay with
that component until cashed in, even if you transfer
to another plan manager.
You can contribute to only one Maxi ISA each tax year.
Be it new or existing.
The Maxi ISA funds have to stay with one plan manager
for ALL their components, (ie if you choose ABCLife
Maxi ISA for their unit trusts, then your cash element
has to stay with whatever ABCLife are offering).
You cannot contribute to a Maxi ISA if you have already
contributed to a Mini ISA in that year.
Mini ISA Mini ISAs
come in three types:-
Stocks and Shares, maximum £3000.
Cash, maximum £3000).
Life Insurance, maximum £1000.
You can contribute to one of each, each tax year,
but not if you have already contributed to a Maxi
ISA.
You can place each Mini ISA with a different plan
manager.
The best way to think of you
investments is as your Equity ISA, your Cash ISA and
your Life ISA, and never the twain shall meet. I.e.
if you transfer your Cash ISA to a new manager it
can only go into that managers Cash ISA. To move funds
from a Cash ISA to an Equity one can only be done
by cashing in the Cash ISA and treating the investment
into an Equity one as new money.
TESSA ISA
When your TESSA matures you can use the capital element
(not any interest) to invest in special TESSA only
ISA, a Cash Mini ISA or the cash component of a Maxi
ISA.
Any investment is in addition to your normal annual
ISA limit.
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