Regional
Can we escape the inheritance tax net? - My wife and I are seeking to remove our £600,000-plus home from the inheritance tax (IHT) net while retaining the option to benefit from its sale if the need arises (and continuing to live in the property until death). We are in our mid-70s, in decent health, with other savings worth about £600,000. We have an inflation-linked pension which is more than adequate for our spending. Were I to die first, my wife will have enough to live on, though care costs would need to be funded from our other assets. We hold the house as "tenants in common" and our wills provide for our assets, already divided 50/50, to pass to a discretionary trust – the beneficiaries being the survivor and our three sons. Is this the best way forward?
Steve Lodge: Wealth Questions - I lent £30,000 to a friend of a friend, who has a range of unsecured debts she is defaulting on. She is currently going through an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) process, so I stand to receive only a small slice of my money back. But, apparently, because I am owed more than 25 per cent of the debts, I can veto the IVA. The woman also owns a £300,000 house in which I believe she has significant equity. Is there any way of converting my loan into a secured loan, to avoid suffering a sizeable loss?
We want to reduce tax on sale of flat - My wife and I own a flat which we purchased eight years ago and rented out. We own a house which we intend to sell within the next couple of years, when we will then move into the flat. As we understand it, no CGT will be payable on our house, but how long would we need to live in the flat to avoid CGT?
Flat owners let down by services - I recently bought my first property. Lately, I have noticed that the block's public areas are not being cleaned properly. How can leaseholders take control to ensure security and maintenance?
Wealth questions: Watertight wills? - My same-sex partner and I each own our homes and spend weekends together in one or other of the houses. We would like to be sure this arrangement can't be challenged by the family of the deceased partner and where would we stand with inheritance tax?
Steve Lodge: Neighbours need to know boundaries - My neighbours want to replace a garden fence that they claim is theirs. They say they will pay for all the work. What rights do I have to control or even veto this work? I am happy for them to pay, but want to be sure the new fence is at least as good quality as the existing fence.
Is Spanish tax a problem with A&L? - I am an Alliance & Leicester shareholder due to receive Santander stock as part of the Spanish bank's £1.25bn proposed takeover of A&L. I received 250 A&L shares at demutualisation in 1997 and have since bought 250 more. How will my dividends be taxed once I hold Santander stock?
National Geographic: Travel & Cultures - Includes photos, maps, videos, flags and facts, all indexed by continent and country.
City Population - Statistical tables and maps for the principal cities and agglomerations of the world.
World Information - Key facts, indicators, country profiles, news, weather, currencies and comments on every country and territory.
NationMaster.com - Provides country and regional graphs and descriptive statistics based on geography, military, economy, crime, education, and transportation.
Webteka - Directory of countries with flags, basic information and links to country directories and government sites.
BBC Country Profiles - Provides guide to history, politics and economic background of numerous countries. Also includes audio and video clips from the BBC archives.
GlobalTower.com - Links to news, business, and travel information, for western hemisphere countries.
Nations Online - A comprehensive portal to sites in various countries throughout the world.