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Sean LaPointe

Sean is a personal finance writer with a strong passion for helping others become more financially literate and make better financial decisions. He covers everything from credit cards to savings to investing.

Recent Articles

Modern brick houses, built to traditional designs on a housing development in Northern England.
Personal Finance

Who is eligible for the stamp duty holiday (and who isn’t)?

| Sean LaPointe

The stamp duty holiday is designed to help buyers save on the costs of purchasing a home. But who's eligible…

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Personal expenses concept.
Personal Finance

Interest rates maintained at 0.1%: what this means for your money

| Sean LaPointe

As expected, the Bank of England has kept interest rates at 0.1%. We take a look at how this could…

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A retired couple review their investing portfolio
Personal Finance

How does the UK State Pension compare with Europe?

| Sean LaPointe

The UK State Pension is key to a comfortable retirement. Find out how it compares to pensions in other countries…

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Middle age senior woman sitting at the table at home working using computer laptop clueless and confused expression with arms and hands raised.
Personal Finance

Will the stamp duty holiday help UK house prices?

| Sean LaPointe

The stamp duty holiday has been extended for three months until the end of June. We look at what this…

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Row of terrace houses.
Personal Finance

Can the stamp duty holiday be used for buy-to-let?

| Sean LaPointe

The stamp duty holiday can save buyers thousands when purchasing a property. But can it be used for buy-to-let properties?…

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Young people friends meeting in quarantine and greeting without touching their hands
Personal Finance

What is the Turing Scheme?

| Sean LaPointe

Turing Scheme has been launched to provide funding for UK students to study or work abroad. Here's everything you need…

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Close up of credit cards over grey background
Personal Finance

3 tips to get the most from your Amex Business charge cards before May

| Sean LaPointe

Amex business cards come with a lot of perks and benefits. We take a look at three ways to get…

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Man shopping in supermarket
Personal Finance

Is the Amazon Fresh store the future of shopping?

| Sean LaPointe

Amazon has opened a till-less store in the UK called Amazon Fresh. Read on to find out more about a…

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An airplane on a runway
Personal Finance

What is British Airways’ travel pass?

| Sean LaPointe

A new Covid travel pass from British Airways could make it easier for passengers to prove that the are safe…

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Modern brick houses, built to traditional designs on a housing development in Northern England.
Personal Finance

What happens when the stamp duty holiday ends?

| Sean LaPointe

The stamp duty holiday was recently extended until the end of June to help more people get onto the property…

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Two women in the home office
Personal Finance

Do I need a party wall agreement?

| Sean LaPointe

If you're starting a project that could affect an adjoining property, you might need a party wall agreement. Here's everything…

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Row of terrace houses.
Personal Finance

Is the stamp duty holiday calculated on exchange or completion?

| Sean LaPointe

The stamp duty holiday was introduced to help buyers save on the costs of buying a house. But does the…

Read more »

Stressed Asian Senior Couple using calculator and calculate family budget
Personal Finance

Do you have to apply for the UK State Pension?

| Sean LaPointe

The State Pension acts as a crucial lifeline for many pensioners in the UK. But do you get it automatically…

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Modern brick houses, built to traditional designs on a housing development in Northern England.
Personal Finance

Can the stamp duty holiday be backdated?

| Sean LaPointe

The stamp duty holiday has been extended. But can it be backdated to help those who bought property during lockdown…

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Working from home due to social distancing
Personal Finance

What is a Spac?

| Sean LaPointe

A new investment craze known as SPACs has hit the capital markets and is increasingly being endorsed even by celebrity…

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Young woman prioritising her finances at a kitchen table
Personal Finance

How much can the stamp duty holiday save you?

| Sean LaPointe

The stamp duty holiday means you don't have to pay duty for the first £500,000 of your property purchase. But…

Read more »

Cropped shot of a senior woman looking upset after an argument with her husband
Personal Finance

What happens to your State Pension when you die?

| Sean LaPointe

The State Pension is a crucial part of many people's retirement income. But what happens to it when you die?…

Read more »

Two women friends sightseeing in summer while on vacation.
Personal Finance

Summer bookings for holiday lets soar by 60%

| Sean LaPointe

As thousands of holidaymakers in the UK rush to plan summer getaways, bookings for holiday lets have soared by 60%.…

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Concentrated young african american black guy sitting on heated floor at modern coffee table in living room, looking at laptop screen
Personal Finance

Who can open an ISA?

| Sean LaPointe

An ISA is an efficient way to save or invest without incurring tax on your gains. But who can open…

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Personal Finance

How do joint mortgages work?

| Sean LaPointe

Considering buying a home with someone else? Here's what you need to know about how joint mortgages work, and their…

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Happy family mother housewife and child son in laundry with washing machine
Personal Finance

How much does it cost to adopt a child?

| Sean LaPointe

Wondering how much it could to cost to adopt a child? We take a look at some of the costs…

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Personal Finance

Can I buy shares in Deliveroo?

| Sean LaPointe

Deliveroo has announced plans to list on the London Stock Exchange. We take a look at whether you can buy…

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Bold Street is deserted during coronavirus lock down, Liverpool, UK.
Personal Finance

Business rates holiday extended to June: all you need to know

| Sean LaPointe

The government has extended the business rates holiday to the end of June. We tell you everything you need to…

Read more »

Concentrated young african american black guy sitting on heated floor at modern coffee table in living room, looking at laptop screen
Personal Finance

Budget: Universal Credit £20 uplift to continue for another 6 months

| Sean LaPointe

The weekly £20 Universal Credit uplift has been extended by the government for another six months. We explain what this…

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happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

UK State Pension: what is the ‘triple lock’?

| Sean LaPointe

The 'triple lock' ensures that the UK state pension increases every year by at least 2.5%. Here is a quick…

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Cheerful mature couple sitting and managing expenses at home.
Personal Finance

Should couples split bills 50/50?

| Sean LaPointe

Splitting bills 50/50 between couples is a simple and straightforward way of sharing expenses. But is really the best way,…

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Modern suburban family houses with car on driveway
Personal Finance

Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty?

| Sean LaPointe

Stamp duty rules can be a little confusing for first-time buyers. Here's a useful guide to help you make sense…

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Two women in the home office
Personal Finance

Traineeships: what they are, and what’s changing

| Sean LaPointe

A traineeship can help you get career ready. Here's everything you need to know about what they are, how they…

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Working from home due to social distancing
Personal Finance

Can I buy shares in Oatly’s flotation?

| Sean LaPointe

Oatly plans to list on the US stock market soon. We look at what this means for UK investors, including…

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Dots over the earth connecting the world
Personal Finance

What is a freeport?

| Sean LaPointe

The UK plans to introduce freeports to help boost the economy after Brexit. But what is a freeport? We explain…

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happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

What happens to my pension when I change jobs?

| Sean LaPointe

Planning to change jobs soon and wondering what happens to your current pension and its benefits? Here's everything you need…

Read more »

Sun setting over a traditional British neighbourhood.
Personal Finance

Stamp duty holiday set for 3-month extension

| Sean LaPointe

The government is reportedly planning to extend the stamp duty holiday by three months. Here's what we know so far…

Read more »

Hedge shaped as the pound symbol inside a glass piggy bank
Personal Finance

Why the vegan market is set to double in just 5 years

| Sean LaPointe

With one in eight Brits now identifying as vegetarian or vegan, we take a look at the growth of the…

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Vacation travel planning concept with map.
Personal Finance

When can I book a holiday?

| Sean LaPointe

Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown has greatly boosted holiday prospects this summer. But when can you actually book a…

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A stack of credit cards piled on top of each other
Personal Finance

Have we got just 5 more years before cash is ‘extinct’?

| Sean LaPointe

Cash could be a thing of the past in the UK by 2026, according to new research. We take a…

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Young couple going for holidays with colorful suitcases
Personal Finance

‘Covid passports’ back on the table

| Sean LaPointe

Following an unexpected U-turn, the government is to review whether a Covid passport scheme could help reopen the economy. Read…

Read more »

happy senior couple using a laptop in their living room to look at their financial budgets
Personal Finance

Men vs women: who’s better at investing?

| Sean LaPointe

Who is better at investing when it comes to men vs women? Recent research shows that men and women have…

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A young couple take use a laptop together in their living room
Personal Finance

Can you take money out of an ISA?

| Sean LaPointe

Wondering whether you can take money out of an ISA and what the consequences might be? We take a look…

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Sun setting over a traditional British neighbourhood.
Personal Finance

What is a house price bubble?

| Sean LaPointe

'House price bubble' is quite a common phrase in the property market. In this article, we take a look at…

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New British One Pound Sterling Coin Chart Rate.
Personal Finance

What would Keir Starmer’s ‘British Recovery Bond Scheme’ look like?

| Sean LaPointe

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to create a British Recovery Bond Scheme to allow savers to invest in the UK's…

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