Another week done. What did you do with your money this week? It doesn't need to be big. Checked your pension forecast? Ignored a scam text? Did the 3-line money check? That counts. Small steps every week beat one big step you never take. Over to you: What's your win this week? General education only. Not financial, tax or legal advice in the UK, US or anywhere else. Nothing here tells you to buy or sell. Get regulated advice for your own situation. Wins are about what you did, not what you bought. No % gains, no "I made £X on this coin", no tips. Those get removed. Not financial advice.

This one's for anyone who rents out property in the UK, or is thinking about it. It's a summary of announced rule changes. It isn't a view on whether property is a good idea. 1. New income tax rates on property income. From 6 April 2027, the rates on property income go up to 24% (basic), 44% (higher) and 49% (additional). This is planned for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and still needs the Finance Bill to pass. Scotland and Wales have been given the power to set their own property income rates, so if you live in Scotland or Wales, check their announcements too. 2. Making Tax Digital for Income Tax. From 6 April 2027, if your qualifying income from self-employment and property was over £30,000 in the 2025/26 tax year, you'll need to keep digital records and send HMRC updates every quarter. It already applies to people whose qualifying income was over £50,000 in 2024/25. Both are on GOV.UK. If you're unsure how they apply to you, speak to a qualified accountant or tax adviser. Elsewhere: rules on rental income vary a lot. Your tax office will have a page on "rental income" or "income from property". Over to you: If you rent out property, how do you keep your records now? Paper, spreadsheet, software, or an accountant? No brand names please. General education only. Not financial, tax or legal advice in the UK, US or anywhere else. Nothing here tells you to buy or sell. Get regulated advice for your own situation. Discussion only. Please don't post specific deals, ask for investors or quote returns. Rules on tax, pensions and savings are different in every country. UK and US facts are labelled. Wherever you live, check your own country's official sources.

UK: in last year's Budget, the government said the Cash ISA limit would fall to £12,000 a year for under-65s from April 2027, and rules to do that were made in September 2026. In the Budget on 28 October 2026, it said it will now keep the Cash ISA limit at £20,000 for everyone 18 and over. New rules to undo the cut are due in November 2026. What hasn't changed: - Your total ISA allowance is £20,000 a year, across all ISAs. - Unused allowance doesn't roll over to next year. What is changing: from 6 April 2027, tax on savings interest outside ISAs goes up. Some people will pay more tax on savings that aren't in an ISA. Many won't, because the tax-free savings allowance stays the same. US: tax-advantaged accounts include IRAs and 401(k)s. They have their own limits, set each year by the IRS. Elsewhere: many countries have tax-free or tax-cheaper accounts for saving or investing. Ask your tax office what yours are called, and what the yearly limit is. A refreshed lesson on this is coming to the Classroom soon. Over to you: What's the tax-free savings account called where you live? Share the name, so others can learn. General education only. Not financial, tax or legal advice in the UK, US or anywhere else. Nothing here tells you to buy or sell. Get regulated advice for your own situation. Rules on tax, pensions and savings are different in every country. UK and US facts are labelled. Wherever you live, check your own country's official sources.

After any big money news, scammers move fast. Right now, watch out for these two. UK: fake "tax refund" or "energy payment" texts. After the Budget, expect texts saying you're owed money and asking you to click a link. HMRC says it will never text you about a tax refund or ask for personal or payment details by text. Forward scam HMRC texts to 60599 (normal network rate). Forward other scam texts to 7726 (free on most UK networks). US: fake COLA messages. Social Security benefits go up 3.6% from January 2027. The increase is automatic. You don't need to do anything to get it. If someone says you must pay, or give details, to get it, it's a scam. Report it to the Social Security Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report. Anywhere: the warning signs are the same. - It's urgent - It wants you to click a link or call a number in the message - It asks for card details, passwords or codes If you're not sure, don't reply. Contact the organisation using details you found yourself. Over to you: Have you had a scam message lately? Describe it so others can spot it. Please don't share links or phone numbers from it. General education only. Not financial, tax or legal advice in the UK, US or anywhere else. Nothing here tells you to buy or sell. Get regulated advice for your own situation. Rules on tax, pensions and savings are different in every country. UK and US facts are labelled. Wherever you live, check your own country's official sources.

Most countries pay some kind of state or government pension. Few people know what theirs will be. It takes 10 minutes to find out. UK: get a free State Pension forecast on GOV.UK ("Check your State Pension forecast"). It shows what you might get and when, and any gaps in your record. The full new State Pension is £241.30 a week now. It's due to rise to about £250.70 a week from April 2027. US: create a my Social Security account on the SSA website to see your earnings record and estimates. Elsewhere: search your government's website for "state pension" or "social security", plus "forecast" or "statement". A worksheet to help with this is coming to the Classroom soon. When you get your number, check two things: 1. When can you claim it? 2. Are there any gaps in your record? Don't act on anything straight away. Just know your number. Over to you: Did you find your forecast? Reply "done" and whether anything surprised you. No amounts needed. General education only. Not financial, tax or legal advice in the UK, US or anywhere else. Nothing here tells you to buy or sell. Get regulated advice for your own situation. What's right for me might be wrong for you. Free, impartial help: MoneyHelper and Pension Wise (50+). Never act on a cold call about your pension. Rules on tax, pensions and savings are different in every country. UK and US facts are labelled. Wherever you live, check your own country's official sources.