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Clarity over tax on savings

Would someone be able to confirm something for me as I think I am misreading this. As a regular rate tax payer it says I can earn £1000 in interest per year before it is taxed. So if I have money in a savings account and I earn £800 in interest and in my ISA £600 interest per annum does that mean I have £1400 interest and have to pay tax on the £400 excess or do they only look at the £800 interest in my savings account and ignore the ISA interest? Thanks for any clarification

Comments

  • Sarahspangles
    Sarahspangles Posts: 3,264 Forumite
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    ISAS are tax free, so you can ignore the interest from ISAs in your calculations in all but some very unusual niche scenarios. So your £800 won’t be taxed. But remember that if you become a higher rate tax payer, your personal savings allowance will fall to £500.

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  • masonic
    masonic Posts: 29,648 Forumite
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    You only count the non-ISA interest, so you shouldn't pay any tax based on those figures.

  • Sam_666
    Sam_666 Posts: 271 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper

    You should lean about product before you invest in it. So, read here https://www.gov.uk/individual-savings-accounts.

    You can find answers on all your tax Q on hmrc website.

  • LITRG
    LITRG Posts: 170 Organisation Representative
    Ninth Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic

    We have guidance about the personal savings allowance on our website: https://www.litrg.org.uk/savings-property/tax-savings-and-investments/tax-savings-income/personal-savings-allowance

    It is important to note that the savings allowance does not reduce the amount of taxable income. It is a 0% tax allowance which sits within the basic or higher rate tax band, therefore the savings interest will 'use up' the tax band even if a 0% rate applies to it. This needs to be taken into account when considering the maximum rate of tax paid on income.

    Official Company Representative
    I am an official representative of LITRG (Low Incomes Tax Reform Group) part of the Chartered Institute of Taxation who are an educational charity. We are not part of MSE or HMRC. MSE has given permission for me to post on the Forum but this does NOT imply any form of approval of my organisation or its products by MSE. We can’t give individual advice, but if you require further help, we recommend that you contact a tax adviser, HMRC or one of the tax charities where relevant. You can find more information about where to get help with tax here. If you believe I am posting inappropriately please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com This does NOT imply any form of approval of my company or its products by MSE"
  • jimjames
    jimjames Posts: 19,264 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 21 April at 11:23PM

    Clarity over tax on savings

    Your post title states the above. The clarity is that there is no tax on savings in the UK. There may be tax due on interest from some savings if you are over certain thresholds and don't have your money in an ISA but there is no tax on the savings themselves.

    Remember the saying: if it looks too good to be true it almost certainly is.
  • Dazed_and_C0nfused
    Dazed_and_C0nfused Posts: 19,333 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Sixth Anniversary Name Dropper

    I get your point but maybe it would have helped had you not said

    There may be tax due on some savings…..

  • jimjames
    jimjames Posts: 19,264 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 21 April at 11:19PM
    Remember the saying: if it looks too good to be true it almost certainly is.
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