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Higher rate taxpayer?

Rather than hijack someone else's thread, I thought I'd start a new one.

For the tax year 2013-14, will I be a higher rate taxpayer?

Gross income £42730 (3560/mth), but I pay pension contributions of £670/month. I know that the 40% band is payable from £41451 gross income, but do the pension contributions bring me back into the 20% band?

Or am I looking at this completely wrongly?

The underlying reason for asking is that I am trying to work out whether it is worth my making overpayments on a mortgage rate of 2.79%. Savings are mainly in cash ISAs at 3%.

Comments

  • dzug1
    dzug1 Posts: 13,535 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Yes your pension contributions will bring you back into 20% land.
  • anselld
    anselld Posts: 8,667 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Bean123 wrote: »
    The underlying reason for asking is that I am trying to work out whether it is worth my making overpayments on a mortgage rate of 2.79%. Savings are mainly in cash ISAs at 3%.

    ... however the answer does not affect the that tradeoff. ISA would still be tax free and would still be better than overpaying at 2.79%
  • Bean123
    Bean123 Posts: 49 Forumite
    Thanks to both of you.

    So, fill the ISA first and then look at mortgage overpayments after that?

    I will have a £3600 FD Reg Saver maturing in May, which will go towards the ISA.

    Am I right that a mortgage rate of 2.79% equates to 3.48% gross interest rate on non-ISA savings for a non-higher rate taxpayer?
  • anselld
    anselld Posts: 8,667 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 6 January 2013 at 10:53PM
    Bean123 wrote: »
    Thanks to both of you.

    So, fill the ISA first and then look at mortgage overpayments after that?

    Yes.
    Bean123 wrote: »

    Am I right that a mortgage rate of 2.79% equates to 3.48% gross interest rate on non-ISA savings for a non-higher rate taxpayer?

    Near enough, 3.49 according to my calculator :)
  • getmore4less
    getmore4less Posts: 46,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've helped Parliament
    3.4875 == 2.79/0.8
  • Bean123
    Bean123 Posts: 49 Forumite
    Thanks, both. Glad to see not all of my maths has deserted me this evening!
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