Latest news with #DeanButler
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
National Insurance must-knows to ensure you get full New State Pension payments in retirement
A new survey found over half of respondents admitted they had no idea of the current value of State Pension. Income tax rises for Scots in April - how the changes affect you New research from Standard Life's Retirement Voice report suggests there is a widespread lack of awareness around the State Pension, with many adults unsure of how much they will be paid and when they will start receiving it. The full New State Pension is worth almost £12,000 a year, however, half of UK adults (50%) are unaware of how much they will receive from their State Pension in later life, including 31 per cent of those nearing retirement, aged 55-64. Meanwhile, nearly a third of UK adults (32%) and 12 per cent of 55 to 64-year-olds don't understand what the State Pension age means to them, or their future. Standard Life's research, conducted among 6,000 UK adults, found a substantial lack of understanding regarding other areas of the State Pension, including a lack of awareness that National Insurance Contributions determine the amount of State Pension someone receives in retirement. Over half of those surveyed admitted they had no idea of the current value of State Pension payments (51%) and were also unaware of how to calculate their State Pension entitlement (52%). Meanwhile, over a third (34%) revealed they didn't know that their National Insurance contributions determine the level of entitlement and the amount of money they'll receive from the State in retirement. Commenting on the findings, Dean Butler, Managing Director for Retail Direct at Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, said: 'With the State Pension rising to £11,973 a year for the 2025/26 tax year, it remains a crucial part of many people's retirement income. But despite its importance, there's still a lot of confusion around how it works and how much people might get. 'Knowing when you'll start receiving your State Pension and how much you're likely to get is an important part of planning for retirement. It helps you work out how much extra you need to save, when you could afford to retire, and what your overall financial picture will look like.' He added that understanding how your National Insurance contributions impact your retirement is vital, so you're not caught out when the time comes. Mr Butler continued: 'With the Personal Allowance frozen at £12,570 until 2028, there's a good chance that people will pay tax on the State Pension alone from 2026 or 2027. The UK Government might change the rules to avoid this, but it's good to be aware of tax when planning for retirement.' Mr Butler answers key questions about the State Pension to help more people understand the retirement income. What is the State Pension? The State Pension is a regular payment made to you by the UK Government every four weeks when you reach State Pension age, which is currently 66. However, it's important to be aware that payments, which are issued by the DWP, can be made every week or every fortnight. Not everyone is entitled to the full State Pension, and the amount you receive might not be enough for you to live on. Therefore, it's important to factor your State Pension into your retirement planning and ensure you have a good idea of how much it might be worth, when you can claim it and how it will stack up with your other retirement savings. The easiest way to check how much you will be due is to use the State Pension forecasting tool on here. How much is the State Pension worth? The full New State Pension is currently worth £230.25 per week, however, the amount you get is dependent on how many 'qualifying' years of National Insurance payments you have. You'll usually need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any State Pension and you'll need around 35 qualifying years to get the full New State Pension if you do not have a National Insurance record before April 6, 2016. What is my State Pension age? Dean explains: 'Your earliest age you can start receiving State Pension is known as your State Pension age. You can find this out easily on the UK Government's website. Men born before 6 April 1951 and women born before 6 April 1953 can claim the basic state pension now, but if you were born on or after these dates, you'll be eligible for the New State Pension when you reach State Pension age. 'This age is regularly reviewed to account for factors such as affordability and life expectancy - it is currently 66 but will rise to 67 by 2028.' How does the State Pension Triple Lock work? Dean explained: 'The purpose of the Triple Lock is to ensure that the State Pension doesn't lose value over time. It guarantees that, each year, the State Pension will rise by the highest of three measures: inflation in the September of the previous year (as measured by Consumer Prices Index); the average increase in total wages across the UK for May to June of the previous year; or 2.5%.' Will the State Pension be enough to fund my retirement? Dean said: 'The reality is there's a significant gap between what you get from the State Pension and what you may actually need or want in retirement. 'The State Pension only covers a very basic lifestyle - less than is needed for a minimum standard of living in retirement, according to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association - and, because it only starts in your late 60s, it won't help to support you if you want to retire earlier. 'It should therefore only form part of your overall retirement plan and, so, it's important to fully understand how much you might need to save into your personal or workplace pension plan to potentially be able to afford the retirement you want. A pension calculator can help you see if you're on track.' State Pension payments 2025/26 Full New State Pension Weekly payment: £230.25 Four-weekly payment: £921 Annual amount: £11,973 Full Basic State Pension Weekly payment: £176.45 Four-weekly payment: £705.80 Annual amount: £9,175 Future State Pension increases The Labour Government has pledged to honour the Triple Lock or the duration of its term and the latest predictions show the following projected annual increases: 2025/26 - 4.1%, the forecast was 4% 2026/27 - 2.5% 2027/28 - 2.5% 2028/29 - 2.5% 2029/30 - 2.5% State Pension and tax The Personal Allowance will remain frozen at £12,570 over the 2025/26 financial year. The most important thing to be aware of is that people whose sole income is the State Pension will not pay income tax. However, anyone with additional income on top of their State Pension may need to pay tax. This is paid a year in arrears, so if the 2025/26 financial year's uplift takes you over the threshold, you will not receive a tax bill from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) until July 2026.
Fox News
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
'Little House on the Prairie' star says controversial storyline 'would not happen today' due to age gap
Alison Arngrim, who starred as Nellie Oleson in "Little House on the Prairie," believes there's one episode from the series that wouldn't be made today. On a recent episode of the "Little House 50" podcast, Arngrim spoke to host Pamela Bob, as well as "Little House" co-star Dean Butler, about an episode from the show's fourth season titled "Here Come the Brides," which aired in 1977. The episode tells the tale of how Oleson is wooed by Luke Simms, a teen boy in town. The two eloped after a brief romance. However, after their parents found out, they were taken back to the Justice of the Peace to be unmarried. Olesen said she had just turned 15 when they shot the episode. Her character was supposed to be 13. "I was super… teenage [with] puberty insanity happening," Arngrim explained. "She's just barely 13. This cat is, he's playing I guess 16, 17. He's in his late 20s." Bob Marsic, who played Simms, was 22. "It's young girls — children — accosting a grown man who they have not been introduced to," said Arngrim about how the characters reacted to Simms' appearance. "That would not happen today, right?" Bob asked. "That casting a full-grown adult to play or even kiss — and it was an innocent kiss, but it's a kiss — a minor." Filming was awkward from the start, Arngrim recalled, noting that she hadn't met her on-screen love interest before they started filming. "I think we were like kissing on the first day or something," she said. "Maybe the second — day two? It was pretty quick, it was like, 'Hi, introduce yourself, now you're in love.''" Arngrim noted that if a similar scene were filmed today, there wouldn't be a significant age gap between the young actors. An intimacy coordinator, which didn't exist at the time, would also be on set. The former child star described how at one point, Marsic brought his girlfriend to the set while the episode was filmed. "That was another of the weird moments," said Arngrim on the podcast. "His girlfriend shows up, and it was weird because it was like … there was this vague thing of her wanting to be there for the romantic scenes." "I was like, does this woman think that I am a threat?" she chuckled. "Really? This 15-year-old pimply girl? No. No. I am not a threat to your relationship. I am not stealing your man." Back in June 2024, Butler spoke to Fox News Digital about how he had struggled with anxiety after discovering that he would be giving his co-star, 15-year-old Melissa Gilbert, her first kiss – both on-screen and in real life. WATCH: 'LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE' CHILD STAR SAYS SET WAS LIKE 'MAD MEN' Butler was 23 when he was cast in the popular TV show, which aired from 1974 to 1983. "You just couldn't do it today," the actor, who played Almanzo Wilder in "Little House," told Fox News Digital. "There would be way too much blowback. It's remarkable that we didn't get more blowback than we did. . . . But I think it was handled so tastefully that people … forgot about the age difference." "I think the audience had been watching Melissa for years and loved her incredibly," Butler shared. "They wanted to see when she, so honestly and innocently, declared her love for this young man. She fell in love from the first time she laid eyes on him. The audience was prepared to go right along with that." According to Butler, the characters from the original book series were supposed to have a 10-year age difference. He noted that Gilbert had "complete trust" in her TV dad, who carefully supervised the scene. "That was a very powerful relationship Melissa had in her life, the one she had with Michael Landon," said Butler. "When Michael said, 'This is the guy for you,' she was prepared to suspend all of her anxieties and just step into it. And Michael never led anyone wrong in the series. He really had it down. He knew what he was doing. He believed very strongly in his creative instincts. He trusted that it would work." "I'm just really grateful that I was the guy that he felt he could trust with this," Butler added. Still, both Butler and Gilbert had to overcome their fears in attempting to bring the scene to life. "I think a lot of young actresses might've folded under the pressure," said Butler. "Melissa had no experience. She'd never been on a date. Never kissed anyone. Never did anything like that. That was still all ahead of her. So to ask her to step into that when she had no real life experience? It does speak to Melissa's gumption and her courage. She just did it. She put all of her anxieties aside and just stepped in. She knew what she had to do to be the Laura that she was supposed to be." The pair smooched in the episode titled "Sweet Sixteen." Butler said that nearly 100 people surrounded them on set to make sure the shot was perfect. "My job was to make it as easy for her as possible by really being the gentleman I was raised to be," Butler shared. "There's been no casting pairing like what they did with us since then. That casting could simply never happen today. Certainly not on a mainstream television show."
Scottish Sun
31-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
How to protect your pension after divorce – everything you need to know
SPLITTING UP How to protect your pension after divorce – everything you need to know DIVORCE is one of the most stressful experiences you can go through in life, not least because of the debate over how to split your finances. While the family home is often given careful consideration, pensions are a vital factor often overlooked. Advertisement But this can have severe consequences later down the line. Pension savings can be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, yet, all too often these cash pots get ignored when it comes to divorce, and it's usually women who miss out. Their pension pots are often smaller than men's due to taking career breaks to look after children or working part-time. The oversight costs women more than £77,000 on average when it comes to retirement, according to research by provider Scottish Widows. Advertisement Yet, more than more than 60% of divorced women didn't go through pension assets during a divorce. Susan Hope from Scottish Widows, says: 'The main reason women still lose out is because they simply are not aware of the potential value and that pensions should be included in the family assets. 'Divorce can be an extremely stressful and intense time. It can be easy for pensions to sink down to the bottom of the priorities, especially if it's a DIY divorce. She added: "Some may prioritise keeping the family home or taking more cash from a sale, but without seeing the full picture.. Advertisement "This could be at the expense of a fair pension share, so it's important to have the right conversations.' Could you be eligible for Pension Credit? HOW TO DIVIDE A PENSION There are a few different ways to split a pension. It is important to note the value of the pension may be offset against other assets. For example, one person could agree to take a bigger share of the home instead of any of the other person's retirement pot. Advertisement Or the pension could be shared with an agreed percentage transferred to the former spouse. In this case, it's a clean break, according to Dean Butler of pension firm Standard Life. He adds: 'On the downside, it can be quite complicated to set up and needs an order from the court.' Another alternative is called a 'pension attachment order', which is where one person agrees to pay a portion of their pension income to the other, but only when it starts being paid. Advertisement Dean says: 'This also requires a court order and the first person retains quite a lot of control of when and how the pension is used, and payments will stop when they die.' WHAT TO DO WITH CASH After a divorce, you should always take stock of how much you'll need for retirement and whether you have enough. Rachel Vahey, head of public policy at AJ Bell, said:'You may find the income you expected to get at retirement has taken a hit. 'Whether your ex-partner kept the bigger proportion of the pension or you shared some of your retirement savings with them, now is the time to think about how to boost your pot.' Advertisement You can go through a three-step online pension check on the government's website to check if you are on the right track for a comfortable retirement. If you are falling short, look at what your employer can offer. It could be worth upping contributions through a workplace scheme, especially if your employer will match the contribution. Even increasing savings by a small amount can make a big difference in the long term. If you do receive a share of a pension pot, you'll need to think about whether it's in the right place. Advertisement You could save fees by combining it with any other pensions. Having your cash in a single and bigger pot also makes it easier to manage. CHANGE YOUR EXPRESSION OF WISHES Many people don't realise that pension assets are not usually covered by your will. And if you die before taking a private pension, your provider will then decide where the cash goes. This is usually done based on an 'expression of wishes'. This is a form you'll usually fill out when setting up the savings pot. Advertisement Crucially, if you gave your spouse's name when you set up the account, you need to remember to change this when you divorce – assuming you no longer want them to receive the benefits. Ed Monk, associate director at savings provider Fidelity International said: 'If your life circumstances change and you're seriously considering ending your marriage or civil partnership.. "It's important to change your expression of wish to reflect any change in who you want to receive your pension payments in the event of your death.' 3 We explain the best tips so you don't loose out when you go through a divorce Advertisement 'I would definitely be worse off' By Lana Clements TRACEY Ford, 51, was married for 14 years and initially didn't consider her ex-husband's pensions as part of joint assets. The celebrant from Johnstone, Renfrewshire was mainly focussed on how to take over ownership of the house, when she decided to consult a solicitor on the situation. It was only then that she was made aware that she would be due a portion of his civil service final salary pension. She says: 'I had been self-employed for 25 years so didn't have a workplace pension. 'My ex-husband's pension was a sizable asset that I had completely overlooked until the solicitor pointed it out. 'We then went through a process to set up the appropriate paperwork so I'll receive a portion in the future. 'I would definitely be worse off in retirement had I not taken the pension into account.' Nationwide £100 payout MILLIONS of Nationwide customers are to receive a £100 cash sum over the coming weeks. Around four million will receive a share of £410million as part of Nationwide's Fairer Share programme, which rewards its banking customers. 3 Millions of Nationwide customers are to receive a £100 cash sum over the coming weeks Credit: Getty You will need to have opened a current account with Nationwide before March 31. Advertisement Those with £100 in savings at that time will also see the boon if the account was used within the first three months of this year. And Nationwide mortgage borrowers with more than £100 outstanding qualify, too. The cash will be paid into Nationwide current accounts between June 18 and July 4. Chief executive Debbie Crosbie said: 'Nationwide has had an outstanding 12 months. Advertisement "We returned a record £2.8billion in value to our members and recorded our highest ever year for growth in mortgage lending and retail deposit balances, and we remain first for customer service.' It comes after Nationwide paid £50 to customers in April and May as part of its 'Big Nationwide Thank You' following the building society's Virgin Money takeover. Those who have been Nationwide members since March 31 can currently get a £200 bonus by switching to Nationwide's FlexPlus, FlexDirect or FlexAccount. An existing member is someone who has held a mortgage, savings account or current account with the company. Advertisement Cash boost for retired CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves has announced plans to overhaul the UK pension system, aiming to increase average retiree savings by £6,000. The reforms, part of the forthcoming Pension Schemes Bill, involve consolidating smaller defined-contribution pension schemes into larger 'megafunds'. 3 Labour chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to overhaul the UK pension system Credit: Getty Assets will be pooled from the 86 separate Local Government Pension Scheme authorities into eight funds by 2030. Advertisement The Government draws inspiration from successful models in Canada and Australia, where large-scale pension funds have achieved higher returns through diversified investments. By pooling assets, the UK aims to enhance investment opportunities and stimulate economic growth. Each megafund will set specific targets for local investment, potentially securing £20billion for community development. While the reforms promise increased returns and economic benefits, experts warn that the consolidation could overlook the advantages of smaller, well-managed schemes. Advertisement The Government plans to introduce the Pension Schemes Bill next year, with further consultations to make sure the reforms meet the needs of savers and the economy. The Government says this is a significant shift in the UK's pension landscape, aiming to balance individual retirement savings with broader economic objectives.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Benchmark Maintains Buy Rating on Silicon Labs (SLAB), Keeps $160 PT
On Tuesday, May 27, Benchmark analysts reiterated a 'Buy' rating on Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:SLAB) with a $160 price target. This decision came after a virtual group conference call with the company's CFO Dean Butler, Senior Director of Finance Giovanni Pacelli, and Investor Relations Manager Thomas Haws. The call included institutional investors and reassured the analysts about Silicon Laboratories Inc.'s (NASDAQ:SLAB) strong fundamental performance. A semiconductor production line, showing the complex procedures of chip manufacture. Benchmark highlighted the company's impressive results and outlook from its recent earnings call for Q1 2025, which exceeded Wall Street estimates. The analysts emphasized Silicon Laboratories Inc.'s (NASDAQ:SLAB) design win pipeline, which shows strong growth potential across expanding market segments. The analysts pointed out that the company is operating in a healthy channel inventory environment, which helps maintain steady supply and sales. Strategic product advancements were also discussed, which are expected to strengthen Silicon Laboratories Inc.'s (NASDAQ:SLAB) position and allow it to capitalize on customer demands and technological trends. Silicon Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:SLAB) is focused on growth in high-potential areas like smart home technologies, industrial automation, and the Internet of Things (IoT). The design win pipeline indicates that the company is securing important projects that can lead to long-term revenue growth. While we acknowledge the potential of SLAB as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than SLAB and that has a 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 11 Stocks That Will Bounce Back According To Analysts and 11 Best Stocks Under $15 to Buy According to Hedge Funds. Disclosure: None. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
National Insurance need-to-knows to help secure maximum State Pension payments in retirement
A new survey found over half of respondents admitted they had no idea of the current value of State Pension. Income tax rises for Scots in April - how the changes affect you New research from Standard Life's Retirement Voice report suggests there is a widespread lack of awareness around the State Pension, with many adults unsure of how much they will be paid and when they will start receiving it. As the full new State Pension rises to almost £12,000 a year, half of UK adults (50%) are unaware of how much they will receive from their State Pension, including 31 per cent of those nearing retirement, aged 55-64. Meanwhile, nearly a third of UK adults (32%) and 12 per cent of 55 to 64-year-olds don't understand what the State Pension age means to them, or their future. Standard Life's research, conducted among 6,000 UK adults, found a substantial lack of understanding regarding other areas of the State Pension, including a lack of awareness that National Insurance Contributions determine the amount of State Pension someone receives in retirement. Over half of those surveyed admitted they had no idea of the current value of State Pension payments (51%) and were also unaware of how to calculate their State Pension entitlement (52%). Meanwhile, over a third (34%) revealed they didn't know that their National Insurance contributions determine the level of entitlement and the amount of money they'll receive from the State in retirement. Commenting on the findings, Dean Butler, Managing Director for Retail Direct at Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group, said: 'With the State Pension rising to £11,973 a year for the 2025/26 tax year, it remains a crucial part of many people's retirement income. But despite its importance, there's still a lot of confusion around how it works and how much people might get. 'Knowing when you'll start receiving your State Pension and how much you're likely to get is an important part of planning for retirement. It helps you work out how much extra you need to save, when you could afford to retire, and what your overall financial picture will look like.' He added that understanding how your National Insurance contributions impact your retirement is vital, so you're not caught out when the time comes. Mr Butler continued: 'With the Personal Allowance frozen at £12,570 until 2028, there's a good chance that people will pay tax on the State Pension alone from 2026 or 2027. The UK Government might change the rules to avoid this, but it's good to be aware of tax when planning for retirement.' Mr Butler answers key questions about the State Pension to help more people understand the retirement income. What is the State Pension? The State Pension is a regular payment made to you by the UK Government every four weeks when you reach State Pension age, which is currently 66. However, it's important to be aware that payments, which are issued by the DWP, can be made every week or every fortnight. Not everyone is entitled to the full State Pension, and the amount you receive might not be enough for you to live on. Therefore, it's important to factor your State Pension into your retirement planning and ensure you have a good idea of how much it might be worth, when you can claim it and how it will stack up with your other retirement savings. The easiest way to check how much you will be due is to use the State Pension forecasting tool on here. How much is the State Pension worth? The full New State Pension is now worth £230.25 per week, however, the amount you get is dependent on how many 'qualifying' years of National Insurance payments you have. You'll usually need at least 10 qualifying years on your National Insurance record to get any State Pension and you'll need around 35 qualifying years to get the full New State Pension if you do not have a National Insurance record before April 6, 2016. What is my State Pension age? Dean explains: 'Your earliest age you can start receiving State Pension is known as your State Pension age. You can find this out easily on the UK Government's website. Men born before 6 April 1951 and women born before 6 April 1953 can claim the basic state pension now, but if you were born on or after these dates, you'll be eligible for the New State Pension when you reach State Pension age. 'This age is regularly reviewed to account for factors such as affordability and life expectancy - it is currently 66 but will rise to 67 by 2028.' How does the State Pension Triple Lock work? Dean explained: 'The purpose of the Triple Lock is to ensure that the State Pension doesn't lose value over time. It guarantees that, each year, the State Pension will rise by the highest of three measures: inflation in the September of the previous year (as measured by Consumer Prices Index); the average increase in total wages across the UK for May to June of the previous year; or 2.5%.' Will the State Pension be enough to fund my retirement? Dean said: 'The reality is there's a significant gap between what you get from the State Pension and what you may actually need or want in retirement. 'The State Pension only covers a very basic lifestyle - less than is needed for a minimum standard of living in retirement, according to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association - and, because it only starts in your late 60s, it won't help to support you if you want to retire earlier. 'It should therefore only form part of your overall retirement plan and, so, it's important to fully understand how much you might need to save into your personal or workplace pension plan to potentially be able to afford the retirement you want. A pension calculator can help you see if you're on track.' State Pension payments 2025/26 Full New State Pension Weekly payment: £230.25 Four-weekly payment: £921 Annual amount: £11,973 Full Basic State Pension Weekly payment: £176.45 Four-weekly payment: £705.80 Annual amount: £9,175 Future State Pension increases The Labour Government has pledged to honour the Triple Lock or the duration of its term and the latest predictions show the following projected annual increases: 2025/26 - 4.1%, the forecast was 4% 2026/27 - 2.5% 2027/28 - 2.5% 2028/29 - 2.5% 2029/30 - 2.5% State Pension and tax The Personal Allowance will remain frozen at £12,570 over the 2025/26 financial year. The most important thing to be aware of is that people whose sole income is the State Pension will not pay income tax. However, anyone with additional income on top of their State Pension may need to pay tax. This is paid a year in arrears, so if the 2025/26 financial year's uplift takes you over the threshold, you will not receive a tax bill from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) until July 2026.
