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Your personal finance questions: I’m a widow receiving a pension and rental income – what kind of tax do I have to pay?

A reader submits a question to Charlie Weston.

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Your personal finance questions: Is there a more affordable alternative for my health insurance?

Charlie Weston answers a question from a reader.

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Home-heating oil price falls to pre-Ukrainian invasion levels

THE cost of a fill of home-heating oil has fallen back to levels not seen since the Russians invaded Ukraine.

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Interest paid on new State Savings to increase for first time in 16 years

THE interest paid on new State Savings products has been increased for the first time in 16 years.

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Gallery

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As end of eviction ban looms, experts say move is unlikely to lead to another spike in house prices here

Will the ending of the eviction ban, and the changes being brought in to support tenants at risk of eviction, have any effect on house prices?

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Is there any harm in allowing access to my bank account for a fee?

A reader submits a personal finance question for Charlie Weston.

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Bank forced to pay out €120,000 after putting home up for sale without telling owner

A BANK sold a home to a vulture fund even though the mortgage was paid off, and in another case a bank put a house on the on the market without telling the owner.

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More than one third of households are under financial pressure

MORE than a third of consumers say they are struggling financially as the cost-of-living crisis shows no signs of easing.

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Mortgage approvals fall for first time in seven years as rate hikes bite

THERE has been a fall in the number of people approved for a mortgage in the first two months of the year as higher interest rates bite.

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Can Revolut get the better of our compo culture and shake up motor insurance?

Can Revolut shake up the car insurance market the way it has revolutionised banking? The super-app has claimed it can undercut existing motor insurers in this market by 30pc. But sky-high compensation claims in this country mean some experts are sceptical about its ability to deliver cheap insurance.

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Most projects to renovate vacant buildings for homes too costly, study finds

The cost of renovating vacant properties to live in is so high it does not make economic sense most of the time to carry out the work.

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Revolut set to launch ‘30pc cheaper car insurance’

Fast-growing online bank Revolut is to launch car insurance , claiming it will radically undercut existing players.

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ICS Mortgages the latest to raise its lending rates

NON-bank lender ICS Mortgages has announced another large rise in its mortgage rates.

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Gallery

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How inflation crisis has added over 14pc to pension pots for thousands of public servants

Hundreds of thousands of public servants are gaining from the surge in inflation.

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Gallery

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Your personal finance questions – What will we get if our late father’s partner buys our share of the house?

Q Myself and my sister are due to inherit one-third of my late father's residence. My father had a partner, who has been left an exclusive right of residence until she dies. If myself and my sister were to accept a buyout from his partner, how much could we expect to receive from the property value of around €300,000? Also, can you explain to me the percentage rate at which the exclusive right is calculated please?

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Taoiseach wants banks to increase returns for savers as ECB hikes rates again

The Taoiseach has called on the banks to increase rewards for savers as another interest rate rise piles yet more pressure on borrowers.

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ECB hikes rates for sixth time pushing up tracker cost by €1,650 a year

THE European Central Bank announcement of a sixth interest rate rise since last summer is to cost those sticking with their tracker mortgages thousands of euro in higher repayments.

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Oil prices steady at the pumps but prices to rise as higher duty kicks in

Petrol and diesel prices stayed largely unchanged this month.

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Cuckoo funds and the State snap up 42pc of new homes as first-time buyers feel the squeeze

Cuckoo funds, local authorities, and State-backed housing charities have all stepped up their home-purchasing activities, tightening the squeeze on first-time buyers.

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Property prices up 6pc in the year but pace of rises slowing down

PROPERTY prices rose in January but at a much slower pace than in previous months.

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Motorists lose out at fuel pump as soaring petrol and diesel costs land €700m for Government

The Exchequer is expected to reap millions of euro from the move to phase out the reduced excise rate on petrol and diesel.

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Lender EBS the latest to hike its mortgage rates

AIB subsidiary EBS is the latest lender to increase its mortgage rates, days ahead of another expected European Central Bank rate rise.

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Collapse of US banks could lead to a rethink on ECB’s interest rate hikes

The collapse of America’s Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) may force the European Central Bank (ECB) to rethink its plans for a string of interest rate rises this year.

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Fast-growing Revolut starts rolling out Irish IBAN numbers

CUSTOMERS of online bank Revolut are starting to receive Irish bank identification numbers in a move that is likely to mean more people in this country will conduct their day-to-day banking through the money app.

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People here who worked in UK urged to avail of July extension for special top-up to pensions

People in this country who worked in Britain have more time to benefit from a special concession to top up their pension from the UK.

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Gallery

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Fears grow that firms are using ‘the cloak of inflation’ to boost their profits at the expense of hard-hit consumers

ARE consumers being soaked by firms using the cloak of inflation to boost their profits?

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Your personal finance questions – Will I qualify for the auto-enrolment pension scheme when it comes?

Q I have been working part-time with the same employer for the last six years. My employer doesn’t offer a work pension scheme. As a part-time employee, will I be able to join an auto-enrolment pension scheme when the system gets up and running? And if so, when can I expect to do so?

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Online platforms ‘must compensate fraud victims for hosting fake sites’

ONLINE platforms that host fake websites as part of investment scams should be forced to compensate victims of fraudsters.

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Gallery

KBC Bank to permanently close all but one of its branches in Ireland today

THE shutters are to come down on most KBC branches today as the bank winds down its Irish operations ahead of its exit from this market.

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Fake brochures, scam websites: how fraudsters are targeting over-55s and their life savings with elaborate investment scam

More retired people and pensioners are being targeted in sophisticated scams in which fraudsters are seeking investments of upwards of €20,000, banks have warned.