About this episode
As usual, we cover lots of ground in this week's Q&A, including tax-free cash recycling, private medical insurance and Lifetime ISAs. Shownotes: https://meaningfulmoney.tv/QA10 00:57 Question 1 Dear Pete & Roger. I'm a long-time listener and love the podcast, especially more so since Roger joined back in season 21. I'm an additional rate taxpayer with income below the threshold for the tapered annual allowance. I have been contributing £45k to my workplace defined contribution pension via salary sacrifice for the last couple of years, and my effective tax relief rate on contributions is 47%. This coming April (2025) I will turn 55 and will be able to access my pension. I am considering increasing my salary sacrifice contributions by £14,000 per year and funding this by taking just under £7,500 PCLS (i.e. tax-free cash) from my pension. Having watched the MeaningfulMoney video on Tax-Free Cash Recycling and checked the HMRC web site, I know this is not considered tax-free cash recycling because the PCLS withdrawals will be below £7,500 per year. However, I don't know if sacrificing £7,500 of tax-free cash in return for £14,000 of new contributions will have any unintended consequences. In retirement I plan to withdraw money via UFPLS and use tax-free cash to minimise my effective tax rate and have no plans to use it to fund large purchases. Have I missed anything? Simon. 04:01 Question 2 Hi Pete, I hope you're doing well! I've been really enjoying the Meaningful Money podcast and had a question I'd love to hear your thoughts on the show: With the long waiting times on the NHS, is having private health insurance a new 'must have' protection or still a 'nice to have'? Thanks so much for your wisdom! And keep up the great work on the podcast! :) Best regards, Chloe 07:05 Question 3 Hi guys - thanks for all you do with this podcast. I've been incredibly fortunate to find you in my 20's and absorb so much useful knowledge. My question is surrounding LISA's. My fiancé and I currently live separately but we're looking to move in together ahead of our wedding this summer. She owns her own home and I currently rent so we'll be moving into her house. Our plan is to live for a couple of years in her (or soon to be our) house as she managed to secure a favourable rate that will help us to save together for our next home. The majority of my current house deposit (around £35k) is in a LISA, however in the last year or so I've quickly realised that our next home together will probably sit above the £450k limit that LISA's allow. Given that we live in a pretty expensive area and want to stay here, is there anything you would suggest? We've thought about me 'buying in' to her current house but we don't want to remortgage and lose the favourable fixed term. Any ideas? Cheers, Joe 11:38 Question 4 Hi Butch &