End of tax year provides tax opportunities

Despite the large amount of negative sentiment in the market, investors should take advantage of tax breaks on offer at the end of the financial year. They should look at VCTs, EISs and film partnerships as well as Isas

The FTSE 100 index reached its high point at the end of 1999, since when it has fallen by nearly 50% ' more than the higher rate of income tax. Life companies are slashing bonus rates and company pension schemes are faced with mounting actuarial deficits. Providers of mortgage endowment policies are projecting shortfalls across the board. North Korea is about to become a nuclear power and the Bush/Blair alliance has its sights set firmly on a new regime in Baghdad. Not a happy start to 2003. With no more than days to go until the fiscally significant date of Saturday 5 April, this may w...