How much interest can my wife earn on savings before having to pay tax?

PhotoMan
PhotoMan Forumite Posts: 61
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Hi,

I wonder if anyone could clarify whether or not I have correctly understood the situation with regards to paying tax on savings interest.

My wife and I have money in building society accounts and ISAs and current bank accounts. I have a pension that puts me in the basic income tax rate bracket. My wife has a small ill health pension of £4,360.86 a year. We have no other income.

Firstly, I believe that I can earn £1,000 a year in building society interest before I have to pay tax on it?

How much building society interest can my wife earn before she has to pay income tax on it? Is it £12,750 - £4,370.86 plus £5,000 plus £1,000? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

We are aware that we will have to make sure we don't have more than £85k each in any single institution.

Thank you to anyone who reads this far and claifies things for me.

Comments

  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Forumite Posts: 27,583
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    PhotoMan said:
    How much building society interest can my wife earn before she has to pay income tax on it? Is it £12,750 - £4,370.86 plus £5,000 plus £1,000?
    Yes, she can earn that amount across all non-ISA accounts before paying tax:

    https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/tax-free-savings/
  • Dazed_and_C0nfused
    Dazed_and_C0nfused Forumite Posts: 11,557
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    edited 14 June at 7:44PM
    @PhotoMan

    And it is in that specific order.

    She has to use any spare Personal Allowance first.

    Then any available starter savings rate band (the full £5,000, taxed at 0%, based on what you've posted)

    And only then can she use the savings nil rate band (up to £1,000 taxed at 0%).

    But as you're a basic rate payer why not see if you can persuade her to apply for Marriage Allowance.  This will reduce her Personal Allowance to £11,310 but she still has a lot of headroom before any tax would be payable on interest.

    And you save up to £252 off your tax liability.

    I have a pension that puts me in the basic income tax rate bracket. 
  • Workerbee999
    Workerbee999 Forumite Posts: 103
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    Quick question on Marriage Allowance. Is it worth moving it to a higher rate tax paper? Or would it then just get taken away again through the personal allowance taper?
  • Jeremy535897
    Jeremy535897 Forumite Posts: 10,245
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    You cannot transfer marriage allowance to someone is a higher rate taxpayer. That starts in England at £50,270. Tapering of allowances does not happen until adjusted net income reaches £100,000.
  • Albermarle
    Albermarle Forumite Posts: 18,839
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    My wife and I have money in building society accounts and ISAs and current bank accounts. I have a pension that puts me in the basic income tax rate bracket.
    Firstly, I believe that I can earn £1,000 a year in building society interest before I have to pay tax on it?
    To be 100% clear. All interest gained from any savings provider, including any interest paid on current accounts, is treated the same. Apart from any interest gained in a cash ISA of course.
    How much you can earn in interest without paying tax depends on what your actual taxable income is. If it is below £17,570, you can earn more interest than £1000 tax free.
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