Money

My brother-in-law died on Christmas Day 2023. My husband had to organise probate on his estate, which took almost nine months. His brother had several bank accounts to close and investments to sell. We were advised by our solicitor to open an 'executor's account' for the proceeds for around £880,000 as they were too large to be held in their account.

The headline and core rate of inflation have both fallen. What does this mean for your finances and where does it leave the Bank of England on rate hikes? We look at all this and more.

National Savings and Investments has launched a range of savings bonds for those wanting to lock their money away for a better return. Savers will now be able to open new one and five-year bonds, while NS&I has also boosted the rates it pays on its existing two and three-year bonds. It has been 15 years since one, two, three and five-year fixed rate savings accounts have been available with NS&I at the same time.

Analysis by Zoopla has revealed where in Britain homes are selling fastest - and slowest. On average, there are 36 days between a home being put on the market, and a sale being agreed - in other words, an offer being made and accepted. However, across the country this varies widely, with the quickest homes selling in 19 days and the slowest taking 62.

I am currently working full time and receiving disability benefits for life.
I would like to know if I will get the full pension, and if any amount will be deducted. I am receiving. I have paid a total of 43 years of National Insurance although I had a gap of I believe 12 or maybe 18 months. Also, is this a good time to claim my state pension?

My boyfriend and I are in the process of buying our first property, which is held under what is known as a maisonette lease. Our solicitor has raised three big red flags. Perhaps the biggest problem of all is that the other freeholder who lives on the ground floor is refusing to sign the TR1 transfer document. Should we proceed given all of the issues uncovered and could we have problems selling the flat in future?

When I was growing up, pocket money was handed out sporadically to me and my siblings. I remember trying to squeeze my growing fingers into my piggy bank to extract coins (and more challengingly, notes) to add up the latest balance.

A major card and gift retailer looks set to close more stores amid dwindling footfall and an 'unpredictable' trading environment. The chain had 1,000 stores in its heyday, but that number is now down to around 170.

As investors worldwide nursed huge losses in the wake of US President Trump's tariff wars last week, one escaped relatively unscathed. Legendary investor Warren Buffett has seen his wealth grow by another $19 billion so far this year to a mammoth $161 billion. Of the ten richest people in the world he is the only one to have grown his fortune, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index. Although the other nine enjoyed a recovery on Thursday when Trump announced a 90-day pause on higher tariffs for most countries, they all have less wealth than at the start of the year - except for Buffett. So how has the 94-year-old investing guru done it - and how can we apply his secrets to success to our own portfolios as we navigate current market turbulence?

When you hear the words 'classic car' you're mind drifts away typically to think about iconic models from yesteryear like Silver Birch Aston Martin DB5s, jaw-dropping E-Type Jaguars and mid-century Ferraris. Vehicles that probably don't jump into your head are Peugeot 309s, Renault Espace MPVs or Seat Ibizas. But these cars are among ten that earn classic status this year...

I opened Cynergy Bank's two-year fixed-rate cash Isa with a rate of 4.44% on 5 April, the last day of the 2024-25 tax year. Does this mean I have effectively used up my £20,000 allowance for the 2025-26 tax year too, as I can't put any more money in?

Buying top-ups can be very valuable, but people are often unsure if this will be worthwhile. The Government has an online service to check this and make purchases. A deal to buy voluntary state pension top-ups going back to 2006/07 has now ended -  but you can still backdate for the past six years. Here's what you need to know...

I'm a fist-time buyer and have seen a flat I like. It's a two-bedroom flat with an asking price of £365,000. I've been told the annual service charge for the flat is currently over £3,000 a year. This sounds like a lot to me. There is a garden space around the property, but it seems quite low maintenance. The communal entrance hall isn't anything fancy either. How concerned should I be about the service charge?

These are difficult times for investors. It is hard to know whether to buy or sell. But a crisis often offers opportunity. The British market has been cheap for a long time and remains cheap.

Alistair and Jonny Brownlee built an impressive athletics career together - now they want to help young people build up their savings. The brother have teamed up with Natwest to launch 'Couch to Cash: the £5K Challenge' to help young people build monthly savings habits.

Online property searches on Rightmove for homes in Bedford nearly tripled earlier this week amid reports a theme park could be built in the area. The announcement of the Universal theme park in Bedford included plans for  investment in local transport and infrastructure. Spanning 476 acres, the attraction would, if it goes ahead, be one of the largest and most advanced theme parks in Europe, with a 500-room hotel and a retail and entertainment complex planned, along with the theme park. This is Money looks at four homes up for sale in Bedford.

The DWP told Liberal Democrat Work and Pensions spokesman Steve Darling it could still review state pension awards despite deletion of old records. 'Bereaved families deserve transparency and a fair chance to ensure their relatives received what they were entitled to,' he told us.

The 'E-Sauna' is powered by the E-Transit's built-in Pro Power Onboard system, meaning it can be deployed virtually anywhere without the need for external power hook-ups. The bodywork of the battery-powered van has also been given a special touch - a daring paint scheme mirroring the cedar-clad interior. The vehicle, which combines the 'versatility of commercial vehicles by tapping into the growing wellness trend' is already touring Britain.

Retired judge Stephen Gold explains how to win disputes over botched deliveries. He outlines your rights if the wrong item shows up, or is broken, or never arrives, and more. Read the saga of when Stephen ordered brown casual shoes and received black formal ones from Ecco, how he forced it to arrange courier collection, and what he did to wrangle far higher compensation than the 'measly' sum originally offered. And find out what happened when he tangled with Boots customer care department....

'Affordable' electric cars are here. 2025 will see a raft of £15k new EVs hitting the market. So, how and why are EVs finally getting cheaper? We take a look at three key reasons we're starting to see price parity with petrol models.

I'm in my late twenties and find myself in a situation where I have about £20,000 in credit card debt. This started when I was at university and needed help to make ends meet, and for the past few years I've used credit cards for daily expenses at the end of the month, as well as some big purchases like furniture. If I'm totally honest, I have used it for a few things I don't really need as well. I usually just make the minimum payments each month, but I've just got a pay rise at work and want to start paying it off. Where should I start?

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and a variety of charges can leave investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.