The January self-assessment payment deadline is not well timed… when people may be already struggling to pay their Christmas bills. However unpalatable the 31 January tax deadline is, it is not one that should be ignored.

Have you started thinking about estate planning? Let’s hope you have. If the answer’s ‘no’, then today is as good a time as any. And there’s no better way to start than by looking at the famous ‘seven-year rule.