If you want to gain returns on your investments or interest while making tax savings, an income ISA can offer a convenient and tax-efficient way to save.
What is an income ISA?
An income ISA is a way of using your ISA allowance that aims to provide you with a regular tax-efficient income payment on your investment or savings. Income may be paid on a quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis, so you can choose an option to suit your savings goals. Every eligible person has an ISA allowance. You are permitted to invest all or part of this amount in an investment ISA, all in a cash ISA, or some in a cash ISA and the remainder in stocks and shares.
A stocks and shares income ISA might be for you if…
- You want to use your ISA allowance to maximize your potential for investment returns, especially at this time of low interest rates. The money you invest in an income ISA offers tangible tax savings. You pay just 10% tax on any income from your investments, regardless of your tax bracket.
- You have substantial savings - i.e. in excess of £10,000 - to transfer into the ISA. Capital gains are 100% tax-free, which is a real advantage if you want to hold shares and increase your ISA amount over the long term.
- You're looking to invest for the medium to long term - investment-based accounts generally perform better over time than cash-based accounts, but to achieve this it's likely you'll need to leave your money untouched for at least a minimum period of one year.
- You're saving with your retirement in mind. Many people use their yearly ISA allowance to invest in shares that can then be sold in the future to buy income funds - the result of which can be a tax-free income during retirement. In fact, recent data shows that savers are now putting more money into ISAs than into pension schemes.
A cash income ISA might be for you if…
- You want a completely tax-free savings account - you pay no tax at all on the interest you earn in a cash-based income ISA.
- You're not confident about investing in stocks and shares and want to avoid some of the potential issues, such as fluctuating market.
- You want to combine a straightforward, tax-free cash savings account with the benefit of regular income payments.
An income ISA might not suit you if…
- You're only saving for a short-term goal, such as a holiday. Because the income on your ISA pays out at regular intervals - for example, once a year - you may miss out on the benefits of this if you withdraw earlier. If you do decide to use an income ISA for a short-term savings goal, make sure you choose one that pays out income at more frequent intervals, such as once every quarter.
- Your first priority is to establish an emergency fund that you can easily access if something unexpected occurs. In this case, an instant access cash ISA might be more suited to your requirements.
Whatever kind of ISA you are interested in, as there are a wide range of products, it is worth shopping around to try and find the one that fits your specific needs best. You can view a selection of different kinds of ISAs by using the comparison tables on this website.
Important Risk Information:
This website contains information only and does not constitute advice or a personal recommendation in any way whatsoever. The value of investments and income from them can fall as well as rise and you may not get back the full amount invested. The tax efficiency of ISAs is based on current tax law and there is no guarantee that tax rules will stay the same in the future.
Different types of investment carry different levels of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Please ensure that you read the Important Risk Information for further details. Prior to making any decision to invest, you should ensure that you are familiar with the risks associated with a particular investment and should read the product literature. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of a particular investment, both in respect of its objectives and its risk profile, you should seek independent financial advice.
Stocks & Shares ISAs
Types of Stocks and Shares ISA include:
Stocks and Shares ISAs
Latest News
Is a Stocks and Shares ISA Safe?
19th February 2020
Are you interested in opening a Stocks and Shares ISA, but worried how safe your money would be? Investments can never be a 100% safe bet, but with Stocks and Shares ISAs you are given some protections for your cash.
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